Kingzoo
by Olive nerd
Summary: Based on Kingsman:The Secret Service, Young parents Nick and Judy Wilde have had rough times, but none of them involved intense spy training, life or death situations, evil masterminds, and weaponry disguised as vegetables... until a certain someone bailed them out of prison. Judy/Nick clearly, Rated T for butt-kicking and profanity
1. Prologue

**I do not own _Kingsman: The Secret Service, Zootopia,_ or anything. Thank you. I hope no one had this idea before me! If you did, I'm sorry! Enjoy! Rated T for butt-kicking and profanity**

Prologue

In a remote landscape rested a lone cottage. In the foliage surrounding this cottage stood a male fox and a female rabbit, cleverly hidden.

"Let's make this quick," Chris whispered to Bonnie. "He's in the front. The professor."

Bonnie nodded and gripped her gun. "Okay." They began to approach the house. "You know, Chris..." She really wanted to tell him, after all the time they had spent training together. "I've enjoyed working with you. You're..." She shyly looked down at her feet. "You're not what I expected."

"Nor you."

"I used to carry fox repellent everywhere. Now look at me!" Bonnie chuckled weakly. "I was dumb and weak, and I appeared that way to you."

Chris grinned to himself and turned to her. "And you thought I was sly and silly, which I was. Truce?" He offered her his paw, which Bonnie gladly shook.

"Truce. But don't get any ideas, mister!" She lightly elbowed his side. "I'm married."

Chris snickered and continued forward. "So am I. I have an adorable son, too. What about you? Any kids?"

"Only two-hundred and seventy-six."

Ten minutes later, Bonnie and Chris managed to break into the cottage and knock down every guard and lackey. Chris gingerly ripped the tape off of the lion professor' s lips as Bonnie untied him from his chair.

"Who- What is this?"

"We're agents of Kingzoo, sir, and we're here to rescue you." Bonnie nodded on agreement.

"Now just stay calm. We're getting you out of here - " Before the poor lion's eyes, a vicious Bengal tiger slashed both agents in half with his protruding, six inch long claws. After wiping his claws clean, the tiger offered the lion a drink and smirked darkly.

"Professor Jay Lionclaw." The tiger bowed. "I am Slayer. I always wanted a fox and rabbit rug... My mistress will be with you shortly." Suddenly, someone outside opened the door. "Or now..."

A small, smiling lamb walked into the living room. Her glasses shined in the bright room. "Good morning, sir!" She chirped. "I hope you are comfortable."

"Assistant mayor Bellwether!" The lion growled angrily at her. "I have a bone to pick with you..."

Dawn Bellwether just chuckled as if he had cracked a joke. "Good one, Jay! But really, dear, that inclusive initiative was juvenile. I'm an assistant mayor. I pacify the public, the majority, not the minority sadly." She pushed her glasses closer to her face, still smiling sweetly. "I know you still have hard feelings for Lionheart and me after that, with your supporting survival of the fittest and all those other juicy ideas, so I'll make you a juicy deal. Kay?"

Lionclaw snarled and looked away in disgust. "And why should I listen to my kidnapper?"

Bellwether sauntered closer to the professor. "Poor, poor Jay... I see that you have two options: accepting and becoming part of my plan or receiving a teeny tiny cut from my buddy Slayer." Slayer purred as Bellwether scratched behind his ears. "He could always use another ball of yarn... special yarn..."

Lionclaw stuttered as Slayer's claws tickled his chin. "Well, w-what is this p-plan?" Bellwether's smile morphed into a more malicious one.

"My greatest creation. It won't be in effect until supply and demand for products change."

Lionclaw cocked his head. "What products?"

"See, here are the details..."

xxx

In the busy and bustling streets of Zootopia, a fox kit named Nick Wilde watched his mother weep. A Cape buffalo was comforting her.

"Mrs. Wilde, I'm terribly sorry. Your husband's sacrifice will not go unrewarded." He offered her a check, but she just slapped his hoof away and continued sobbing.

"I don't want your money! I want my husband! I want the father of my Nicky!"

Someone knocked lightly at the front door of their home, and Nick answered it. A tiny, adorable bunny in a pink dress stood in front of Nick. Her violet eyes were red from crying.

Nick did not have a lot of friends at the age of seven. Predators considered him too soft, while prey did not trust him or even get to know him at all. So, he did not hesitate to say hello to the rabbit and try to befriend her. She did not look afraid of him, so that was a great sign to him.

"Hi. Are-Are you okay?"

The rabbit sniffed and looked up at Nick. She looked no older than six. "I was gonna ask you."

Nick grinned a little. His eyes were a bit red from crying, too. He already missed his late father, and he hated seeing his mother so upset. "Um.. M-My..." He then broke into a fit of crying, and Judy quickly wrapped her arms around his waist and cried, too. "My daddy's..."

"Dead?" Nick nodded. "So is my mommy. She worked with a fox named Chris. Daddy thought they were more than friends. He started drinking this morning and..." She trembled in Nick's arms. "And saw Mommy in me and forced me to leave." She was about to tell him more, but all she could do was stutter and shiver. She still could not believe what had happened.

"It's okay!" He assured her as he patted her head. "It's okay. I understand it's not easy to talk about." He released her and gave her a warm smile. "I'm Nick Wilde. I'm seven."

She gave him a small smile, revealing she had lost some teeth. "So am I. Judy. Judy Hopps. Your daddy must have worked with my mommy. His name was Chris Wilde."

Nick froze and gawked at her. "What?"

The buffalo met Nick at the doorway and knelt down to Judy's level. "Judy I told you to stay in the car," he reprimanded her gently.

"But Mr. Bogo sir! I don't wanna go! I don't wanna be an orphan! I want Daddy!"

The buffalo sighed exhaustedly. "Your father is not fit to raise you -"

"And you won't be an orphan," Nick interrupted, taking Judy's paw. "She'll live here, sir. With me." He noticed that his mother had been behind Bogo and listening with eager ears. "Mommy, please? Daddy worked with her mommy!"

Charlotte Wilde gasped and gently cupped the small rabbit's chin, examining the cut across her cheek. "Your cheek..."

Bogo winced and growled to himself. "Stu Hopps hit her like a mad rabbit. Destroyed the house. We could barely get her out safely. There are bruises under her long sleeves, too, and markings across her stomach. We got the call from one of the older children. The kids are with relatives, but Judy cannot be anywhere near Stu. It's not safe for her. He believed the rumors."

Charlotte turned to Bogo. "What rumors?"

"That your husband and his wife had an affair. They're false of course. I was their closest ally on the team. I knew their friendship was nothing more than that."

"Of course," Charlotte affirmed. "Christian would never do that to me." She looked down at Judy and held her close, her mind made up. "I don't know how, baby, but you're going to be okay, you and my Nick. This is your new home now if you want it to be, and I can be your new mommy."

Judy smiled shyly at the pretty vixen. "Okay..." Nick embraced both his mother and his new friend.

Bogo handed both Judy and Nick their late parents' medallions. "If you kids ever need help, we'll be there for you. Always. There are numbers on the back of these. Just say 'Where's the chief' and you'll be helped. Take care of your mom." The two foxes and rabbit were still holding on to one another as Bogo drove off, shaking his head.

"Those poor kids..."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 _Fifteen years later..._

In a crowded but cheap apartment in room A113, a handsome fox was snoring beside his small, beautiful wife: a rabbit, mumbling in her sleep. She had her arms wrapped around his torso, and his paws and tail rested on her back. The scene was nothing short of adorable until reality buzzed in their ears, literally.

 _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Judy groaned and reached to hit the alarm clock, but she managed to miss it, fall out of the bed, and land on her face. Nick, roused by the thud, chuckled and unplugged the alarm.

"Damn thing."

"Damn floor." Judy rubbed her head.

Nick sighed and stretched his back and limbs. "Remind me why we're doing this again for the gazillionth time?"

"WAAAAAH!"

Judy sighed tiredly and stood up. "That's why. I'm on it. But make us some breakfast, will you?"

Nick hopped out of the bed and followed her out of the bedroom. "No good morning kiss?" He asked cutely with his famous pout.

Judy just smirked up at him and skipped to her son Tommy's room. "Not until you whip us up some bowls of cereal and blueberries, Slick Nick!" He just smirked back and walked to the kitchen.

Today, the young couple was going to leave Tommy home with his grandmother Charlotte and meet someone for a job interview again. Judy hoped this was the last time, at least in a while. They were already having trouble raising Tommy with their, well, colorful backstories.

Judy took a second to marvel her one-year-old son's room. Nick was a skilled painter and painted the small room's walls ocean blue and yellow, his son's favorite colors. A small heap of toys laid beside the cradle, where a tiny grey fox kit with only one hazel eye was waiting for her.

Thomas Jacob Wilde was abandoned by his biological parents. One local foster home in Zootopia found the poor kit on its doorstep without an eye, and Judy and Nick's hearts went out for him. They knew that the caregivers meant well, but they were judgmental towards predators, due to their staff being all prey animals. So, the couple found little Tommy a little underweight. Before they lost their jobs as cashiers at a coffee house, Judy and Nick could afford to help him and helped him they did.

If they did not get new jobs soon, however, they could definitely lose their son.

"Hey, handsome!" Judy picked up her son and did a smell check. "Woo! Someone's stinky! You want some yummy food?" Tommy giggled at his mother's cooing. "Just let me change that smelly diaper!"

Ten minutes later,, Nick had the table set. Three bowls of cereal, three cups of coffee, and a small dish of mashed blueberries rested on the table. Soon, his wife entered the kitchen with their son on her hip, and Judy sweetly pecked Nick's cheek.

"You think he's here?"

Judy shrugged and set Tommy down. "I hope not. That asshole shows up here too often." Dan Gray, Charlotte's young and abusive boyfriend, often showed up and ridiculed them all, especially Judy. He, like his brother Gideon Gray, was a red fox and despised rabbits very, very much.

"It doesn't matter." Judy took a seat, as did Nick. "Well, today's a new day!"

"And you know what?"

"What?" She stood up to feed the whining infant, but Nick shook his head and picked up the mashed food.

"Let me. Anyway, something's gonna change."

Judy grinned and sipped her coffee. "You think one of us will get the job?"

"I don't know, Carrots. I just... I feel like something will happen, something good or bad." He shook his head with a small smile. "Being married to an emotionally unstable bunny has turned me insane!"

Judy huffed and rolled her violet eyes. "Har! Har! Just feed the mess maker!" Suddenly, Dan marched in, dragging and making out with Charlotte. He pinned her on an area of the wall right beside the kitchen table, both moaning and embarrassing everyone else. Even little Tommy looked away.

"Mom!" Nick exclaimed as Judy groaned to herself.

Charlotte rolled her emerald green eyes and turned to her son. "Nicky, I'm a grown vixen! If you don't wanna see some action, your wife's right there to take your mind off of this!"

Judy turned beet red and wolfed down her cereal. Nick ate quickly, too, feeling a headache start to rattle his mind.

"Charlotte, please -"

"Hey!" The southern fox turned from his girlfriend to snap at Judy. "Shut your trap, bunny! You ain't got no right to speak in my house, no matter how much Nicky here fancies yeh!"

Nick stood up at that comment. "Dan, we've been through this. She's my wife and best friend. And even if she wasn't, she still has every right to speak." Judy stood up and joined her husband.

"And we've also been through this, you Mama's boy!" Dan snapped. He pointed at Tommy. "That little urchin's gonna have a messed up life with a bunny as his momma! And since she's your whore and pet, you have to take her out for her walk!"

Judy was used to this, but Nick often lost his temper when Dan openly bullied his wife. That morning, Judy had to block Nick, who was ready to lunge at Dan.

"Nick!" She shivered. There were specks of red in his eyes. "Nick! You promised!" She quickly hugged him and relaxed as he started to cool down. "Besides..." She glared up at the smirking fox. "He's not worth it. We have to go."

Dan snickered and spat at them as they left. "Good luck gettin" jobs, you dumb, irresponsible kids! You damn freaks!" They blatantly ignored Dan as they kissed Tommy and Charlotte goodbye.

"Please feed him the rest of his breakfast," Judy told Charlotte gently. The vixen just nodded and whispered in Dan's ear, effectively hushing him.

Nick shook his head as he shut the door behind Judy and him. Surely one of them was going to get a job this time. Surely they could find a way to keep Tommy and Charlotte safe and happy and still be together.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 **Did I mention there is a whole lot of judging in this story? Sorry! It fits the theme of the original film and even Kingsman, so here goes! I hope no one is offended! And thanks for your reviews! They mean a lot. Enjoy!**

Judy tried to get her husband to walk faster. "Come on, Nick! Hurry! We'll be late!"

Nick just smirked and watched her eye twitch, a habit of hers whenever she was nervous. "Relax, Carrots. Our interviews aren't until around three."

Judy stopped in her tracks. "What?! You said they were at ten!"

"Because I knew my mom and Dan, whenever he's here to grace us with his presence, wake up at nine almost every morning. So, I set our alarm to eight. Now..." He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently kissed her nose. "We have the whole afternoon to ourselves."

"Nick..." She half-whined, half-giggled, as he cuddled shamelessly with her. She then looked around them. They were in the middle of the street. Several bystanders glanced up at them.

"You're welcome."

Judy huffed and tried to shove him off of her, but he quickly caught her off guard when his tail tickled her sides.

"Nick," she whispered urgently, fighting the urge to giggle again. "Nick, you know I'm ticklish! Not out in the open like this! Someone might complain!"

He just shrugged and leaned close to her ear. "Let them. What are they gonna do? Arrest us?"

Nick had a point. Not too long ago, Zootopia legalized predator-prey relationships, even though many citizens detested the idea. Still, Judy was not in the mood for another screaming wolf. (Last time, a wolf caught them kissing, and Nick could not use his paws for a week after the scuffle.)

Judy stood on the tips of her toes to reach Nick's lips when a shrill cry interrupted them.

"Mommy! Why is that fox speaking to that rabbit through lips? I wish I could do that!"

Nick looked up at the baby hippo peering down at them, fur bristled because they were interrupted. The hippo was watching them curiously from his upstairs apartment room window, licking a lollipop. A bigger hippo, his mother supposedly, gasped at the cuddling pair and threw a newspaper and plastic cups at them.

"GET OUT OF HERE! SHOO!" She turned to her son. "Sweetie, those two are strange animals. Never date any animal besides a hippo, you hear me?" She scowled and glared at Nick and Judy. "Especially tigers! Mangy furballs! Hmph!"

"Ma'am, tiger are wonderful animals!" Judy exclaimed loudly so the hippos were able to hear her. "Besides, we have our rights -" The hippo just threw another cup at them and squawked at them. Taking this as their cue, Judy and Nick quickly marched out of there.

"My mommy says she wishes you two were arrested!" The baby hippo yelled.

"Unbelievable!" Judy hollered as soon as they were out of earshot. Nick just wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Let's just go to the park," He suggested suavely, knowing she always loved a nature walk. She grinned sheepishly and agreed with him.

They walked to the Zootopia's major park, to a nearby pizza place for some lunch, and to a local market. Throughout their little date, the couple bumped each other playfully like teenagers.

Judy used to roll her eyes when Nick tried to act playful. But now that they had less time to themselves, Judy missed these dates, which were now occasional instead of weekly. Ever since Charlotte had to go to an alcohol rehab center and heavily depend on them, Judg and Nick scrambled the entire city for jobs. They had just graduated high school, so the timing was perfect. Then, they finally found and worked at a local coffee house for four years.

But before they graduated, feelings changed. Feelings changed dangerously. Both fox and rabbit hid their feelings for one another until senior year. Their last prom was that year.

Judy still remembered how Nick approached her a few weeks before senior prom...

 _High School Flashback_

 _"Carrots!" Judy put her textbooks in her locker and turned to Nick, who was panting heavilly._

 _"You alright there, slick?" Nick just laughed a bit wheezily._

 _"I, uh, need to ask you something quick."_

 _"Me, too!" Judy chirped a little too quickly. "Um... Do you..."_

 _"Wait!" Nick stopped her short. " Car- Judy, do you want to..."_

 _Finnick, Nick's best friend besides Judy, suddenly busted out of Nick's locker and landed in his arms._

 _"Hey, stupid! Just ask her out to prom already! It's been months and all you've been yapping about is Judy! Judy, Judy - OW! You dimwit!"_

 _Nick flushed and dropped the fennec fox. "Thanks, Finnick. Thanks for asking her out for me even though I clearly told you NOT TO!"_

 _"You're welcome."_

And so, that was that. They dated during and after high school until Nick decided the time was right (the time when Finnick was out of of the city and when they had worked for at least a year). They were at their favorite diner. He proposed to her in an uncharacteristically shy way, she said yes, and they went to the courthouse a few days later. There was no fancy meal or cake or gifts, but it was absolutely perfect to them. Not every rabbit or fox married his or her best friend, and they felt blessed to have found each other. Nick wore his father's tuxedo and Judy wore a lavender dress with her mother's pearls around her neck. Charlotte was there and baked them some cookies after the event. Two years later, they adopted Tommy. Things ran smoothly until the coffee house manager received complaints and fired them. Some customers apparently did not want to be served by a predator-prey pair. It "unsettled them", as they put it.

"Hey, Carrots! Look!" Judy snapped out of her trance to see what her husband wanted. "Look at these!" He pointed to the shelves of the freezer section that were full of "Dawn's Blues" blueberries.

Judy nodded. She heard about the new brand. It was getting to be quite popular, since it managed to have a whole assortment of favors from grass to cupcake to grasshopper. Even carnivores liked them!

"When we run out, we should get Tommy and Charlotte some of those."

"But what about me?" Nick whined.

"Huh?" Nick gesticulated crazily.

"Two-hundred percent juice! And they come in cricket flavors! How do they do that?!"

"Genetic engineering," Judy replied smoothly with a shrug. Nick just glared at her while pouting. "Okay, you ruined it."

Once the rabbit walked off, however, the fox pawed the glass separating him from the berries and stroked it lovingly.

"No, she didn't..."

"Nick! Hurry up!"

xxx

They did not get the job. After all they hid, every precaution taken, they were turned down for their "inappropriate relationship". Unfortunately, the law did not force employers to take second glances at predator-prey couples, so the sow running the restaurant saw through Nick and Judy and politely, though gruffly, dismissed them.

Both Judy and Nick were shocked. They thought they addressed everything that could potentially go wrong. The restaurant was conveniently far from any places they had worked at or any places they frequented. They walked in with no wedding bands, and they walked in separately, not even addressing each other.

Then, it hit Nick. Someone snitched on them.

Ever since they were in grade school, Nick and Judy were often treated and judged unfairly. Hence they stayed together, scratching each others backs, protecting one another. Judy was always seen as the rabbit who could not do much besides look cute and cuddly. Nick was always seen as the fox who was always up to no good. Therefore, they rebelled. If the world was not going to accept a fox and a bunny as friends and more, then they were not going to accept the world. Little by little, they began to pickpocket, then steal, and then scam others for money. Sometimes they worked with Finnick. Sometimes they worked alone. Either way, they only worked for some cash on the side, no for another's pain or blood. It was strictly and confidentially business. No one got hurt by them; only the pride and wallets of others were bruised.

Still, there were obvious risks, so they kept their skeletons hidden. If they wanted to keep Tommy and provide for the family while still making some money on the side, they had to be sneaky.

Having jerks and snitches around, of course, never helped.

xxx

Finnick chugged down his afternoon coffee and threw the cup into a nearby dumpster. "What's with the glares, guy?" Nick and Judy approached him with scowls on their faces. "Did you finally get jobs? Where's the stinker?"

"He's at home," Judy replied curtly. Nick instantly grabbed Finnick by the collar of his shirt and lifted him off the ground.

"You ratted us out, didn't you? Did - Ow!" Finnick slapped Nick and hopped out of his grasp.

"What am I getting blamed for this time?"

"We had job interviews today," Judy snapped. "And we know what you could earn by snitching, so confess!" Finnick sometimes worked with Dan and Gideon at their bakery for some extra money, and Finnick was infamous for blabbering.

Finnick smirked up at her. "Darling, I may be a thief, but I ain't no snitch! You should know that Duke's been on your furry asses with the snitching."

Nick blinked rapidly. "Wait. Why would he -"

"He's a butt-kissing, sleazy weasel, stupid!"

"Why would he rat us out," Judy wondered aloud. Finnick gestured to the bar on his left.

"Why don't you ask him yourself? He's in there." They nodded and sauntered into the bar, quickly picking out the weasel. He was guffawing stupidly and sitting beside Gideon and the rest of his gang of foxes and ferrets. The couple quickly marched up to the table.

"Hello, Duke." The weasel smugly turned to the fox who addressed him. "Found yourself some friends?"

Duke picked at his teeth with a toothpick and flicked the toothpick aside. "Oh, wouldn't you like to know, Mamma's boy?"

"We know what you did," Judy told him crossly. "Just tell us why you did it."

"Alright, I did it. I snitched. But I have my reasons, Flat-foot! It's a tale as old as time, true as it can be... Barely even acquainted..."

"What?"

"Your mother, Bonnie Hopps, caught my father stealing onions! And that's why he's in prison!"

Judy slammed her fists on the table, startling everyone in the bar. "She was doing what was right!"

"And that's why my dad's in jail for life!" Duke hissed. "Thanks to good old' Gideon for telling me who's related to that carrot-farming hussie." Gideon just grinned evilly at them both, enjoying the scene.

Judy looked ready to strangle Duke, but Nick held her back and stared quizzically at Duke. "For life? For onions?"

Duke shrugged and sipped his drink. "He may have murdered a few rodents, but hey! Time is money."

"And you'll soon be out of both!" Judy tried to pounce at him, but Nick restrained her and exited with her on his back, leaving a bar of chuckling foxes and ferrets.

"You know we can't take them with their numbers," Nick told her, putting her down gently. Judy growled, one of her feet stomping the poor pavement rapidly.

"Fine. Let's just -" Nick shook a pair of keys in her face and grinned slyly.

"We're not gonna pop the weasel, sweetheart." He clicked the unlock button, and a silver convertible beeped right behind them.

"We're gonna steal from him." Judy found herself mirroring his grin.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 **I'm sorry that I moved this, but a reviewer reminded me that it was the right thing to do. Thank you and enjoy!**

Gideon and his gang were still relaxing in the bar when they suddenly heard honking and a car swiveling nearby. Gideon was about to tell his anxious crew to ignore it when he heard a familiar rabbit whoop with joy.

Before anyone could have suggested otherwise, Gideon leapt out of his seat and sprinted outside. Duke's car was spinning round and around, and once Gideon saw who was in it, his jaw dropped.

"Hey, Duke! It's them freaks! They stole your ride!" Travis, Duke, and the rest of the gang huddled around Gideon and peered over his shoulders, gawking at the pair.

Duke growled as Nick gave him a coy wave. "Why I otta..."

Nick smirked smugly as he drove. "Would it be immature to do a little victory honk?"

Judy giggled and stole a glance at the weasel. Duke looked ready to throw a fit. "Okay, but just one."

Nick honked, headed straight, and drove away from the bar when they both heard sirens blazing. A police car instantly blocked their path and drew some unwanted attention.

Judy banged her head against the seat. They could not afford to go to prison again. They had already been thrice! "I thought you had it under control!"

"Just because I'm the better driver -" Nick shifted to reverse. " - It does NOT mean I know what we're doing!"

"DRIVE!" Nick complied, but they both had to make sure no one was going to get hit behind them as Nick drove. Soon, they were on a highway. Other drivers honked crazily at them. Some even yelled and cussed at them. In front of them, the police car pursured them through every turn, swerve, and obstacle.

But then, Nick swerved a little too much, and the car skidded to a ditch. Nick visibly paled. Judy tightly held on to his arm and screamed. Luckily, Nick was sharp in these situations and put the car in drive before the vehicle was in a rough spot.

Unfortunately, as he drove out, the convertible slammed into the police car.

They went rigid as a huge, grumbling elephant officer stomped to their car and motioned for Nick to roll down his window. Judy recognized the officer and grinned sweetly, hoping a bit of butt-kissing would help.

"Francine!" She noticed the small, pink party hat on Francine's head. "I love your hat. What's the occasion?"

Francine glared daggers at her. "My birthday." Her tone of voice implied she really, really wanted to slap Judy's face.

"Happy Birthday!" Nick shouted as happily as possible, laughing uneasily. Francine soon glared at him, too, and Nick knew he and his wife would be behind bars shortly.

 _Well, shit._ He gritted his teeth as Francine made him get out of the car and lay on the hood of the car. She put handcuffs on him and then Judy.

xxx

At the police station, Francine gave them a lecture (as usual) and they were left to sulk for a little bit.

"Imagine how furious Dan is right now," Judy whispered. Nick furiously kicked the chair in front of them.

"Forget Dan! What about Mom? She hates this crap!"

As soon as he was calm, Judy gently caressed Nick's paw. "Nick?"

"Hmm?"

"We could rat on Dan," she suggested softly. Dan had never hit Tommy, yet, but he often hit Charlotte, Nick, and Judy. Nick just shook his head and grunted irritably.

"They didn't believe us the first time we told them. Even before stealing. What makes you think they'll believe us now?"

They sat in silence for a few minutes until Judy thought of something else. "Nick? Remember when we were kids and... we wanted to make the world a better place like our parents?"

Nick shut his eyes tightly. "And what did I tell you?"

Judy sighed deeply. "That the world will only see us for what we are. And so far, you've been right." She saw something gleaming on Nick's chest. "What's that?"

"This?" Nick held the medallion. He had fashioned it into a necklace. "My dad's medallion. Remember?" Judy nodded. She remembered it very well. She still had her mother's medallion under her pillow.

She took a closer look. "Nick, there's a number on there."

"What?"

"Just - Just let me look." She picked it up and examined it. "Hmm... Remember Chief Bogo? He told us to call if we ever needed him, right?" Nick's eyes lit up. "Right, Nick? Nick?"

He whipped out his phone and dialed the number on the medallion. "Hello?"

"Thank you for calling the Tropical Trust Bank!" A female voice chirped. "How may I help you?"

"Um..." Nick glanced warily at Judy. "Is there a Mr. Bogo there?"

There was a long, awkward pause. Then, the voice said monotonously, "Goodbye, sir."

"Wait!" Nick paused, fighting the memory of first meeting Bogo. He had said something, a sort of password... "Where's the Chief?" There was another awkward pause.

Then, she spoke up again. "Your complaint has been forwarded. Thank you."

xxx

They uneasily walked outside of the prison. Francine was there, arms crossed and scowling at them in pure disbelief. "You'll be back, Wilde's. It's not everyday that some idiot bails you out."

They descended down the front stairs and turned the corner. Then, they spotted a tall cape buffalo in a handsome black suit who sketchily looked like he had been waiting for them.

He cleared his throat as they walked by him. "So, are you two going to thank the idiot who bailed you out?"

Nick and Judy halted and looked up at him cautiously. "What's your agenda, Mr. - Ow!" His wife promptly punched his arm.

"Thank you." Judy smiled up at him. "You're... Mr. Bogo, right? We remember you! I'm Judy -"

"Why would I have freed you if I did not know who you two were, Mr. and Mrs. Wilde?"

Judy laughed awkwardly. "Right. I'm sorry. But, um, who are you again?"

"Agent Chief Bogo of Kingzoo, the Secret Service." He finally turned to Nick. "I worked with your parents."

Nick cocked his head. "Say what now?"

Bogo just gestured to the limousine parked not too far from them. "Come with me. We have much to go over."

Nick and Judy exchanged wary glances. "Listen, uh, Bart -"

"Bogo. Chief Bogo."

"Right! So, listen..." Nick pretended to check his phone. "It's almost six and we're famished."

"Right!" Judy agreed briskly.

"So, how about we give you our number, and we can discuss this some other time?"

"Plus we have a son," Judy added gleefully.

"Oh, darn!" Nick slapped his leg. "Gotta worry about the kids! Heh..." Bogo just growled at them and slowly approached them.

Judy perceived this as a threat and immediately took out her pocket knife, hopped, and aimed at his throat while clinging to his collar.

"We're not going anywhere with you," Judy hissed. Bogo looked bored, which unnerved both rabbit and fox. "Now leave us alone, tough guy!"

"What if I told you I could offer you both decent jobs," Bogo asked calmly. Judy still kept the knife dangerously close to his throat. "No offense, but you two look like you could use the money."

Judy's eyes narrowed to slits. "We are doing just fine." She replied coldly.

"No cars, wrinkly clothes, stealing...Heh, sounds like a dream come true."

Judy lowered her knife and hopped off of Bogo, who quickly brushed the wrinkles out of his clothes.

"I don't know how you know all that, and that gives us another reason to avoid you."

Bogo rolled his eyes and locked his car. "Just let me buy you two some drinks. I'm an old friend, remember?"

Nick shrugged and grinned at the buffalo. "It couldn't hurt, Carrots." The rabbit sighed tiredly, relenting. She still did not trust him, but at least she had her knife if the buffalo tried anything stupid.

"Fine. I could definitely use one. Where to?"


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Your parents were agents like me," Bogo began. He let Judy and Nick pick out the bar, and they picked their favorite, which happened to be where Gideon and his gang were earlier. They were the only customers there.

"They were killed by the most wanted, elusive criminal mastermind." He shoved a picture under their noses. "But all we could get after years of investigations is her cat."

Judy stared at Bogo in disbelief as Nick whistled at the picture. In the picture, a handsome, muscular Bengal tiger was smiling predatorily, showing off his shiny, golden teeth.

"That's all you've gotten?"

"Nice teeth." Nick handed Bogo the photo back.

Bogo shrugged at Judy's question. "The criminal is untouchable. He had been elusive for about twenty years. We have no idea what he looks like or what he plans to do exactly. All we know is that he's crazy rich, and his pet tiger had killed many, including your parents." Judy and Nick glanced at each other sadly. "Any more questions?"

Judy leaned forward, while Nick smirked at her amusedly. He knew when his wife was hooked on something.

"So you have no idea what their agenda is? Are you even close?"

"We've made progress, yes." Bogo sipped his drink. "But we're still unsure. That's where you and the five other potential recruits for your parents' jobs come in. Two agents will help us stop him the minute he is uncovered." He stared at his drink rather tiredly, swiveling it. "I'm certain we're close, so very close to identifying the bastard."

"You must know something," Judy asserted, unconvinced.

Nick nodded. "And, forgive me for being blunt, but what's the annual payment for each of us if we get these jobs?"

Bogo rolled his eyes and laid down his drink. "We'll disclose the details of the case once you agree to it," he answered. "It's secret information. And, it's ninety-thousand a year, no vacations included, and you have to do some work on the side. Cashier work."

"Sounds okay," Judy murmured, smiling a little. "And vacations? Please. With all due respect, sir, we're used to that as parents."

Bogo quirked an eyebrow. "I take it you're in then?" Judy stared questionably at Nick and took his paw, and they grinned ear to ear at one another. They really needed the money, and they were in decent shape. They would be completing their parents' dreams, hopefully make them proud. It almost seemed too good to be true...

Nick opened his mouth to answer Bogo, but Duke, Gideon, Travis, and the rest of the gang suddenly sauntered into the bar. "Hey, Wilde's!" Duke shouted bitterly. The troop made a beeline for their table. "Get out of my territory before I kick your asses!"

"Now, now, Duke." Gideon leaned down to smirk evilly at Judy, whose face was scrunched up in disgust. "I take the cutesy rabbit, you kick the ass of that fox."

Judy glared ardently at Gideon. "Drop dead, Gideon! You don't scare me!"

Gideon snarled and unleashed his claws. "Not scared, huh? Well I'm about to make yeh scared!" He raised his paw to strike her. But before he could, Nick swiftly grabbed his arm and slammed it on the bar, scaring the pig bartender nearby. Bogo, calmly sipping his drink, raised a hoof. Everyone else stared at him incredulously.

"Who's this?" Gideon slapped Nick's paw away. "Get out of here, horns! A brawl's about to start!"

"That's right, old timer." Travis sneered. "You better get out of here. We don't wanna hurt you."

"He's right, Chief." Nick eyed Bogo pleadingly. "Please go. You'll get hurt."

Bogo shook his head and looked at Gideon's group with boredom. "I'm sorry. I don't believe I will. I need to finish my drink. Can you kindly wait for a minute, gentlemen? Please?"

"No!" Gideon snapped childishly, getting in Bogo's face. "You better scram, old bull!"

Travis meekly tapped his shoulder. "Uh, Gideon? I'm pretty sure he's a buffalo."

"Don't tell me what I already know, Travis!"

"Please, Chief." Judy gently grabbed Bogo's hoof and squeezed it. "Please. Just go. We'll be fine." Bogo sighed and stood up, abandoning his drink and heading for the door.

 _SLAP!_ Judy gasped and lunged for Gideon, who had just slapped Nick, but Duke held her back.

"Nick!" Nick weakly got up and glared at the other fox, holding his reddening cheek.

Gideon just grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "That's what you get for sucking face with a rabbit, freak!" His friends snickered and nudged each other.

Bogo turned back around, staring at Gideon sternly. "I believe you forgot something, sir."

Gideon rolled his eyes and whipped his head at Bogo. "Oh yeah, old timer? What's that?"

Bogo walked up to Gideon until his shadow covered his form. Then, he leaned forward and whispered, "You didn't hold your tongue. Here, allow me..." Gideon was about to insult him, but Bogo impressively grabbed Gideon's tongue, twisted it deftly, then threw him across the bar. He hit a table, and the impact instantly knocked him out.

Travis and the others gawked stupidly at the placid buffalo as he locked the door of the bar. Judy pulled Nick back to his seat, and the couple watched Bogo's every move.

"Mind your manners, gentlemen." Bogo suavely walked back to the group. Travis began to snap out of his trance. "Do you know what that means?"

Travis growled and glanced at his best friend, who was now sprawled out on the floor. "Why you!" Travis's fist was inches away from Bogo. Then, the cape buffalo grabbed it, twisted his arm, eliciting a whimper from the ferret, and made him collide with Duke. Both fell to the floor.

The other members pounced at Bogo, but Bogo was prepared and fought them skillfully. Meanwhile, with dropped jaws and widening eyes, Nick and Judy watched the fighting like a movie. Nick even sipped his drink a little.

"Carrots?"

"Mm?" Judy did not move a muscle, barely breathed.

"Are you seeing this?"

"Mm-hm."

"Wow..." Bogo began to beat two members with his cane. "Hey! Let's take a sip of our drinks every time he kicks an ass."

"Nick!" Judy rubbed her forehead. Her husband could be so unbelievable sometimes.

"What?" Nick glanced at her innocently. "Try it. Go on."

"No."

"You know you want to."

"Oh cheese and crackers!"

The fighting ensued for a few more minutes until Bogo knocked one last fox to the floor. The bartender was about to call the police, but Bogo spotted him and aimed at the pig's neck with his watch. The watch contained thousands of darts, including those that caused amnesia. An amnesia dart pricked the pig's neck, and he passed out. He would not remember any of the fighting when he woke up.

Bogo stretched and slowly dragged himself back to their table. He finished his drink. Judy and Nick were still gaping at him. "Sorry you two had to see that." He sounded like he had just swatted a fly. "Are you two hungry?" Both quickly shook their heads. "Good." He aimed his watch at them.

Judy gasped. "Whoa! Wait!"

Nick raised his paws in the air. "We won't tell anyone!" Judy nodded briskly.

"We promise, Chief! We swear on our lives!" Bogo stared at them intensely. Seconds felt like hours. Then, he lowered his watch, and the couple visibly relaxed.

"Alright then. Have a good evening." Stepping over broken bottles and twirling his cane, Bogo exited the bar. Judy and Nick were still gaping after he had left.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 _"Come try some delicious blueberries today! Remember the name: Dawn's Blues! Now available in cupcake favors!"_

Judy and Nick entered their apartment room. Everyone was in the living room, in front of the cheap television set. Tommy was nestled in Charlotte's lap, while Dan was munching on some cricket chips.

Trying to ignore Dan, who gave them nothing but dirty looks, the young couple kissed their son and asked Charlotte how their day was, what Tommy was fed, etc. Charlotte replied happily, though also nervously. She was always fidgety around Dan.

Dan never liked to be ignored. "So where have you two been? Partying?"

Nick fought the temptation to roll his eyes. "Yeah. Partying is a new way of saying being interviewed for jobs."

Dan abaonded his chips and stood over Nick. "Don't talk back to me, Mamma's boy!" He was close to slapping Nick, but Judy swiftly hopped up and grabbed his arm. Before Charlotte was even close to being an alcoholic, both Judy and Nick were committed gymnasts. Some would even say they were the best little gymnasts in Zootopia. So, some things helped when they were around Dan.

"Calm down, Dan! We just got a bite to eat and went to our interviews." Judy sniffed and fought the urge to gag. Dan reeked of alcohol. "Are you drunk, Dan?"

He abruptly slammed her into the wall. Charlotte screamed as Tommy whined and cried.

"DANIEL, STOP!"

"That's not of yer business, rabbit!" His breath was revolting. Judy had to hold her breath.

"Get off of her!" Nick wrung his arm around Dan in a quick choke hold to distract him, yanked him away from Judy, grabbed Judy, and ran for the door.

Charlotte weakly protested for them not to go, but they had to let Dan cool down. When he was this rattled, anyone could have been hit, even Tommy. Nick and Judy learned over time that once they were away, Dan settled down. That is, if Nick and Judy were the ones that provoked him.

xxx

They could not afford a car, so they stayed at the abandoned house near their apartment. Everyone believed the house was haunted because lights flickered off and on by themselves and animals got hurt in there. Nick and Judy found the place when they were still in grade school, but they had tried to make friends with the ghosts. So far, their attempts worked. The only time they got hurt in the house was when Judy tripped on some rotting wood, and she was always a clumsy rabbit.

Judy grabbed their blanket that they hid under the bed of the master bedroom. Nick drew back the dusty curtains of the empty dining room's window so they could see the stars from where they slept. (Well, they assumed it had been a dining room or perhaps the living room. It was beside the kitchen.) The room had a huge window, so they could always see the stars from that window.

Nick held Judy close in their blanket, staring at the stars. Both were lost in thought until Judy decided to speak up.

"Nick -"

"Shush. I'm trying to think." He frowned at the stars.

Judy laid her head on his chest and followed his eyes, staring off into space. "Should we take the offer?"

Nick glanced anxiously at her. "Yes!...No! Uh... Ugh! It's just... Tommy..."

"You know Charlotte can watch him. She's doing better. It's just Dan." Judy sighed, her nose twitching. She was not too fond of the idea of leaving her family alone with that abusive fox. "Why won't he just leave us alone? He could hurt them both, Nick." Nick started laughing, making Judy scowl. "And what's so funny?"

His bright green eyes shined with mirth. "Remember when you told me you wanted five kids?"

"That was before I knew I'd marry a tenacious, overdramatic fox."

Nick just chuckled and shoved her lightly. "Come on. You know you love me."

Judy looked thoughtful. "Do I know that?" She gave Nick an Eskimo kiss, smiling knowingly. "Yes, yes I do." But then, she was frowning pensively again. "But I love Tommy, too. And your mom. Heck, she's practically my mom!"

"Okay, don't make this weird for me, Carrots."

"Nick, I'm serious! If Dan lays another hand on any of them while we're gone -"

"Wait a minute." Nick stopped her by laying a finger on her lips. "We can still take Bogo's offer. I have an idea!" Without a warning, her pulled her close and kissed her passionately.

Blushing, Judy pulled away. "Is that your idea?"

"Maybe a sidenote. But here's the main idea..." Nick excitedly began to explain.

xxx

"This here is abuse, you rascals!"

Nick's plan was simple and painless; ask Mrs. Otterton to help Charlotte out with Tommy, and ask Charlotte to get a restraining order to keep Dan away. Surprisingly, Charlotte agreed quickly, and Judy wondered why they had not thought of it before.

 _We're young, naive, and busy. That's why._

"Abuse?" Nick smirked at Dan. He was getting angrier and stupider everyday, it seemed. "Oh, Dan. Poor, ignorant Dan. It's just a precautionary. Mom will soon present her case to court. She's afraid you'll hurt Tommy. So, she'll see him alone twice a week while we're gone. You, on the other hand, will soon have to avoid her and this establishment... unless you like to wear stripes..."

Nick was fuming and beet red. "Well who's gonna watch him until you come crawling back? Huh?"

"Mrs. Otterton." Nick and Judy once saved her from some violent robbers once, all sheep and goats. Also, they have helped watch her children and water her plants. When they asked her for help, she even offered to watch Tommy for free. Of course, they refused to do that to her. Besides, they did not know how long this visit to Kingzoo's headquarters would last. They agreed to pay her handsomely everyday.

"I'll take good care of him," the kind otter promised, holding Judy's paws. "And thank you for baking those delicious cookies for my Emmitt."

"How is he?" Judy asked politely. Mr. Otterton was ill and bedridden.

"Oh, better. Much better."

"Thank you for your help." Judy kissed Tommy's head. "Bye, sweetie! Be good for Mrs. Otterton!"

"See you around, son." Nick ruffled the tuff of fur on his son's head, and the duo grabbed their suitcases.

Charlotte stopped them before they could reach the door. She stared at them for a moment. Then, she grabbed them and held them close.

"Be careful you two." When she released them, Nick felt a lump in his throat. His mom hardly cried. He then realized they had not left Charlotte on her own like this since high school.

"We won't let you down," Judy swore, smiling gently at Charlotte. "Mom, we love you." Charlotte sniffed and nodded glumly. She loved her babies, but she did not have it in her to say any more goodbyes.

Nick turned to Dan. "Take care of her, Dan. Try to." Dan just snarled at him and spat on the floor. Mrs. Otterton shook her head at him, but there was nothing she could do. She had tried to catch Dan at his worst and report him, but he was smarter than he seemed. He had managed to evade trouble with the law and point at Judy and Nick's crimes, covering his worse ones.

Mrs. Otterton knew the young parents, no, the children were not all bad. They were kind souls, only misled and tired and just trying to get by in Zootopia. The middle-aged otter knew what it felt like to be fed up, to lower oneself to what society expected.

"This isn't over! I'll find my way back to Lottie! Hope you die out there, freeloaders!"

Nick just smirked. "We'd rather die out there then live here any longer." He then turned back to his mother. "Mom?" He quickly handed her some fox repellent, making sure that Dan did not see it.

"Be careful," he whispered. Charlotte nodded. Then, the duo left their apartment with high hopes and hands joined.

"So..." Judy turned to Nick. "Do we call him or..." A honk caught their attention. Bogo was beside his limousine.

"Need a lift?" He shouted.

They turned to each other, asking themselves the same question. Nick beat Judy to it.

"Are you stalking us, er... sir?"

"Smooth, slick."

Bogo walked up to them, wearing a gray suit. "I figured I'd stop by. And of course I'm stalking you in a sense. I'm looking out for you, as a friend of your families. Your body language expressed that you were opened to my proposition. So, I gambled. What do you say today?"

xxx

They rode in the limo until Bogo told the driver to stop in front of an ice cream parlor. Judy turned to Nick skeptically, her paw on the hilt of her knife.

"Trust me. You'll want to see this."

The trio got out of the car. He opened the door for the couple, and they all walked inside. A grumpy elephant was behind the counter.

"Hey, Chief! What are you doing with these kids?"

Bogo checked the time on his watch. "Nothing much. I would like the double cookie dough batter supreme."

Steve narrowed his gray eyes. "Sides?"

"Sprinkles and gummy worms."

"Size?"

"Small. Diminutive." His responses sounded automatic. "Oh, and Steve?" The elephant looked up. Bogo scanned the room. Luckily, no one else was around. He did not have to whisper. "Where's the bull pen?"

"Crap." Steve stepped aside as Bogo headed to the back of the parlor. Judy and Nick hesitantly followed him. "You have five minutes."

All of a sudden, Nick grabbed Judy's arm and pulled her aside. "Carrots? You sure about this?"

"No, but we'll be okay."

"How do you know?"

"I just... I just know, Nick. Besides, we can defend ourselves. Please." She laid her paws on his face. "Trust me." Nick stared into her eyes. Then, he nodded slowly, and they ran after Bogo.

They walked farther and farther into the part of the store reserved for employees. Then, they stopped in front of a door painted lime green. Bogo told them to stand on the red rug beneath their feet. Bogo knocked on the door oddly, in a pattern that reminded the couple of morse code only for ears, and the floor beneath their feet, beneath their rug, lowered.

"You are about to enter one of the twenty most secretive hideouts in Kingzoo's history," Bogo told them. "Nothing leaves this hideout. Understand?" Both nodded quickly.

They finally stopped moving. The hideout had five rooms: a kitchen, a pantry, a large bedroom with twin-sized beds, a bathroom, and a room full of weapons.

The weapon room was stashed full of weapons from around the world, even weapons Judy and Nick had never seen before. Then, there were other things, like fake flowers and fruits disguising some more lethal items.

Nick whistled in admiration as Bogo showed them around. "I'll give you the briefest tour because we're almost late."

"Late for what?" Nick wondered aloud.

Bogo ignored him and showed them shelves of shoes ranging from various sizes. Sandals. Boots. Sneakers. Wedges. Dress shoes. Any and every kind of shoe. "Every agent needs a pair of shoes. Depending on the situation..." He picked up a pair of shiny black shoes. "Certain additions are necessary." He put them on, clicked his heels, and a small blade stuck out near one of the toes.

Nick glowered at the shoes. "I don't wear shoes."

"Maybe for special occasions you would. These shoes can inject a rare, lethal poisoning with one scratch from this knife."

"Cool." Nick reached for a pair for himself, but Bogo smacked his paw away.

"But that's one example. Moving on. I assume you two know how to use a knife and gun. However..." He gestured to a briefcase lying beside the knives and guns, picked it up, and opened it. Inside was an assortment of unique pencils, pens, markers, and crayons. "These are recording devices and dart blowers. They have other uses. But, as you can see, there are thousands of these. I have no time to explain them all."

One carrot pen caught Judy's eye. She picked it up before she could think twice. "What's this one do?"

"That's just a recording device. You may keep it." Bogo shrugged. "We have hundreds."

Nick picked up and tossed around what appeared to be a fake onion. "And what's this?" Bogo released a bit of a shriek and snatched the pseudo onion from Nick.

"Don't touch that!" Bogo carefully placed it back in its shelf. "That's an explosive disguised as an onion."

"Hate to disagree with you sir," Judy piped up, "but those aren't onions. Those are a crocus variety called mendicampum holicifius." Nick snickered as Judy blabbered. Bogo looked ready to snap. "They're a Class E botanical, sir. I grew up in a family where plant husbandry was kind of a thing -"

"SHUT YOUR TINY MOUTH!" She did. She kept it shut until the tour was over and they left.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 **I know this story's moving a bit too quickly, but summer's almost over for me! I** **want to finish this before the break's over. Thank you, and enjoy!**

 **WARNING: This next chapter may seem disturbing and violent to some readers.**

 ***Animalville - I own nothing associated with this word. I just thought of it.**

After their tour of the hideout, they drove up to a gigantic mansion. After the guards scrutinized the limo and its passengers at the gates, the driver dropped the trio off at the front.

"Welcome to Kingzoo." Bogo held the door for the couple, and they all walked inside.

Nick whistled lowly in the foyer. "Nice place." Bogo led them to a room upstairs, where a reserved rhino was fiddling with an assortment of controls on an impressive control panel.

"So Chief," Judy spoke up briskly. "What's the agenda? What would our assignment be if we're chosen?"

"Hold on." Bogo nodded to the rhino, who regarded them with an unimpressed look. "This is Agent McHorn. Tech support."

"These are the new recruits?" McHorn scoffed. "A lion, a polar bear, a gazelle, a cheetah, a yak..." He stared down at Judy and Nick. "...And a cute little bunny and fox."

"Don't call my wife cute! Only I can call her that!"

"Nick, let me handle this." Judy turned to McHorn. "Sir, only a bunny can call another bunny cute. If another animal calls a bunny cute then, well..." She trailed off uneasily.

"I'm sorry." He did not sound very apologetic.

Bogo then interrupted them. "Agent McHorn, he is the son of Chris Wilde. She is the daughter of Bonnie Hopps. Would you please show them the updates of our current, most pressing mission?" McHorn typed on the control panel, and pictures of familiar faces appeared on the gargantuan screen before them.

"For the past few months," Bogo started, "the target and his or her cat have been kidnapping famous rulers, pop star sensations, celebrities, scientists, and professors. No one has received any leads. No one knows where they are. Based on footage we managed to collect..." The images disappeared and a video of the Bengal tiger escorting a willing and smiling blank panther popped on the screen. "...the target cleverly lures them. From news footage and this, we have sufficient evidence to believe that it's the dawn of a dangerous cult."

Judy's eyes followed the panther. He and the tiger got into a limo, and the limo sped off into the distance. Then, the video ended.

She hoped that poor panther and others like him did not end up dead.

xxx

They went downstairs, and Bogo led them to a huge door. "This is where you'll stay." He opened the door for them. "Better get some sleep. You'll need it. Goodnight." He closed the door, leaving Judy and Nick with a group of other animals in a large bedroom with seven cots.

Before the couple stood a frowning lion, a chuckling female polar bear, a curious female gazelle, a humming male yak, and a male cheetah, who was currently munching on a glazed donut. They all were wearing gray suits, except for the yak. The yak was wearing only a white towel.

Judy flushed a little. Nick was still in his green Hawaiian shirt and shorts. She was still in her wrinkly pink shirt and worn out jeans. They tried to reach their beds without making a scene, but the lion opened his mouth immediately after noticing them.

"These are the new competitors?" He asked himself incredulously. The polar bear beside him openly guffawed.

"Ha! You're dead, fluff butt!" Judy glared at her and walked confidently to her bed. Nick followed suit.

The yak peaked out from his dreadlocks and smiled at Judy. "Oh, for sure! You should go back to selling bunny scout cookies, dude!"

The lion growled at the yak. "Shut up and wear some pants, you smelly dimwit!"

"Stop it! All of you! You're all acting awfully immature." The lovely gazelle smiled warmly at Judy and kneeled to her level. "Ignore them. I'm Gazelle." She noticed Judy's ring and grinned. "Oh, you're married!"

"Yep." Nick showed Gazelle his ring and held Judy close. "To me."

The lion gagged and stomped to his bed. "Disgusting!"

The yak hummed in agreement. "Yeah, that's weird, yo!" The obese cheetah beside him shook his head.

"I don't think it is, Yax. I think it's cute. I mean, look at me... Stereotypical donut loving cheetah..." Nick chuckled at that.

The polar bear groaned irritably and settled into her bed. "Let's just go to sleep!"

Everyone did, but the cheetah had a question.

"You need an extra pillow, Gazelle?"

"CLAWHAUSR!" The lion roared. "SHUT UP!"

xxx

In the city of *Animalville, which was far from Zootopia, a lovely beach house sat beside a calm, tranquil beach. Seagulls conversed with crabs on the sea shore, and venders were selling souvenirs on that same beach where the lone house sat.

In the house, servants prepared dinner for the hostess, the feline, and their guests.

xxx

Slayer knocked the door and entered the room, Bellwether's room. "Mistress? They're here."

The sheep hopped off of her sofa and put down her mystery novel. "Excellent, Slayer! Let them in." The tiger was in a white tux, while she wore a midnight blue dress with puffy sleeves. Both neglected their usual business attire for the night. They did that for every special occasion.

Slayer opened the front door, revealing two attractive deer: singer Trixie Single and her boyfriend, Stephen Glory. Trixie wore a sparkly lavender dress, while Stephen wore a black tux.

"Trixie!" Bellwether gushed, kissing their cheeks. "And her bae, Stephan!" She released a girlish squeal as Stephen chuckled. "I'm such a huge fan, Trixie dear! Do come in!"

"I have heard you were doing something else since you're no longer assistant mayor of Zootopia," Stephen declared. Slayer helped them by pushing in their seats. "You're in the food business now, right? How are things?"

"Blueberries," Bellwether clarified, pushing her glasses closer to her face. "And it's running deliciously, thank you. Speaking of blueberries..." Her eyes shined excitedly. "We're serving blueberry pie for dessert tonight. Our treat."

Trixie looked confused. "Our, ma'am?"

"Oh, yes!" Bellwether giggled and gestured to Slayer. "I apologize for my rudeness. This is my right hoof feline." Slayer suavely took Trixie's hoof and kissed it. Then, he nodded politely to Stephen.

"So, let me run something by you guys before dinner, okay?" Bellwether beckoned Slayer and began to whisper in his ear, earning a look of distrust from Trixie. "Guard the halls," she whispered to him. "Uninvited guests may arrive and spoil the fun."

Slayer growled viciously but quietly. "Should I slash dark meat or preserve white meat?"

Bellwether sipped on her red wine and pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Slash 'em. But be gentle, my pet. I just bought those figurines in the living room."

Slayer nodded and left, leaving the hostess and her guests at the table. Trixie warily watched him exit. Something did not feel right...

"Is everything alright?" Bellwether put down her glass.

"Perfect, my dear. Now about my proposition..."

xxx

For several, dull minutes, nothing happened. Then, Slayer sniffed the air. He caught a whiff of something. Unlike most tigers, Slayer had an acute sense of smell, thanks to Bellwether's experiments.

 _Bird. Birds... Feathery... Holding guns..._

Slayer crouched on all fours and crawled slowly in the long hallway. The scent grew stronger with each step. His gold eyes were trained on the path ahead of him. He snarled to himself, desiring an entertaining pounce, ready for the defenseless animal...

Then, a phone buzzed.

xxx

When Bellwether was finished, Trixie looked absolutely appalled and disgusted.

"This is genocide!"

Bellwether just smirked. "Not entirely, my pet. We're just saving some animals from extinction. It's that simple, really."

Stephen gulped and looked down at his plate. "And... And the blueberries are supposed to guarantee that we're saved? That's... That's absurd..."

"No. Those are for just in case."

Trixie cocked her head, trembling as Bellwether stared at her. "Just in case what?"

"You don't agree and get a little rowdy," she chirped.

xxx

Slayer had the peacock's neck in his teeth before the poor bird realized his phone gave him away. With one chomp, the bird was dead.

Slayer examined the corpse. The peacock wore a police officer's uniform and was ready to call for backup. His walkie talkie had skittered across the hall when Slayer slammed his body into the wall.

"Police officers, eh? Clever families..." He saw a flash of brown and crept darter down the hall. Then, he pounced, catching the peahen officer by her tail and grabbing her into a choke hold.

"Who sent you?"

The peahen gulped. "I -"

"WHO?!" She screamed as Slayer bit into her neck, drawing blood.

"Stephen's family. Please don't -" He snapped her neck without so much as batting an eye.

"Two cops. Pathetic."

xxx

Trixie heard the screaming first and leapt from her seat to the door.

"What was that?"

Bellwether immediately jumped out of her seat and pressed her body against the door, preventing Trixie from opening it.

"Don't go in there, my dear! It's absolutely horrific! We're still renovating and -"

"Get out of my way!" Trixie was frightened and a little tired. She really just wanted to go home. But first, she needed to find out what was going on in that insane sheep's head.

Bellwether stepped aside, and Trixie opened the door and screamed. Blood coated the hall's floor, the blood of two officers. Slayer was in the pool of blood, licking the blood off his claws.

Slayer grinned sardonically at Trixie's horrified expression. "I hate to meet you under such slippery circumstances, beautiful." Stephen gulped and turned away from the gore, and Trixie vomitted.

"We can make this all disappear," Bellwether cooed. "Just agree to our simple demands. Take the shots and you're immune."

Trixie just cussed at the sheep and spat near her hooves.

"Classy." Bellwether shook her head disappointedly at Trixie and turned to Stephen. "How about you?" Stephen shrugged and then nodded.

"It'll do." Trxie gasped and grabbed his arm.

"Stephen? Baby?! What are you doing?!"

"Preds have to be stopped."

"And this is the way to do it?!"

Stephen glared at her as if he had betrayed her. "I don't want to turn savage or be locked up!"

"It will have to be the latter for you," Bellwether told Trixie. "Take her away, Slayer."


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 **Happy belated 4th, and enjoy!**

 **Authors's note: The polar bear is the drill instructor from Zootopia, only younger. Enjoy!**

Back at the Kingzoo mansion, five of the seven recruits were sleeping soundly. The cheetah, Benjamin (Benny) Clawhauser, snored noisily. Meanwhile, Gazelle and the polar bear, Felicia Drill, slept peacefully. The lion, Leonardo (Leo) Lionheart Jr., tossed and turned in his sleep. Lastly, Yax was sleep flirting.

"I know. I know my hair is fantabulous, girl. I know... Oh, for sure!"

The last two animals, Judy and Nick, just laid perfectly still in their beds, tired but restless with anxiety and boredom. Fortunately for them, their beds were right beside each other. Judy stealthily crept out of her bed and gently shook Nick.

"Nick? Nick."

"Mm?" Nick yawned quietly, turning in his bed to face her.

"I can't sleep, Nick."

"Come here." The fox scooted and made room for the rabbit. She slowly and silently climbed into the bed, and they snuggled under the covers.

Nick gently rested his chin on her shoulder. "Worried?"

Judy nodded, her mind engulfed with paranoid thoughts. Both were worried, actually, but Nick was better at hiding his emotions than she was. "Dan is relentless, Nick, and he's not always stupid. I feel like he'll find a way to put blame on the Otterton's and eventually us."

Nick just kissed her cheek and settled into the bed with Judy in his arms. "Just go to sleep, Carrots. We'll worry about it in the morning."

"I mean, what if Mrs. Otterton forgets to change Tommy?"

"She's had two kids before. I imagine she'll manage."

"But what if..." Nick grew tired of her ranting and zoned off. But then, he heard a very strange buzzing noise that grew louder and louder with every passing second.

"Carrots, sh!" He put a finger to her lips. "Listen." The noise grew exponentially louder and louder. Then, a huge, hideous, black swarm of flies flew from the vent and squeezed into their room. They seemed angry, restless even, and flew straight towards them.

"Run. Run!" Judy grabbed Nick's paw, and they hopped out of the bed.

"Get up!" Nick shouted, waking everyone else up. "Wake up!" His wife made a beeline for the door.

Judy tugged on the door and gasped. "It's locked!"

"WHAT?!"

"They're getting in my mane!" Leo yelled with more irritation than shock or fear.

Felicia suddenly screamed and covered her eyes with her paws, startling everyone else. "My eyes! They're getting in my eyes!"

Only Yax seemed to appreciate the company, and the flies were instantly attracted to Yax's homemade shampoo and gel in his dreadlocks. "Oh, yeah! Hey, dudes! Like my hair?"

Gazelle threw a blanket over her shoulders, effectively covering herself from the vicious flies, and threw blankets at the others.

"Take cover!" She instructed. "They are biting us!"

"Ow!" Benny sucked on his bitten thumb. "And potentially eating us..." The cheetah, Judy and Nick discovered, was right. The flies began to destroy and devour their blankets, pillows, and pieces of their beds as a group.

Nevertheless, to delay the abnormal insects, they all covered themselves with their blankets. Judy and Nick were huddled under one blanket, the buzzing and chewing encasing them, when Judy glanced at the toilet in the small bathroom adjacent to their bedroom.

Nick raised an eyebrow at her. He knew that look. She had an idea, presumably a dumb or crazy one.

Judy strongly gripped Nick's arm, eliciting a wince. "Nick, can you swim?"

"What?!" Why was she asking that at that moment? He knew she did not know. They never had time to swim lately. Also, neither of them absolutely loved swimming. But, it was still odd to ask...

"Can you swim?" She repeated louder.

Nick snorted and freed his arm. "Yes. Yes, I can swim. I can swim, but what -" The flies stripped a huge chunk of their blanket, forcing them to swat at the eaters and smother themselves in the remnants of their plush, makeshift tent.

Judy gave his back a light shove towards the toilet. "Dive into the toilet, Nick! Now!"

Nick swiftly turned around and grabbed her shoulders. "No! I'm not leaving without you!"

"Hey, lovers!" The two craned their necks at Leo, who had successfully dodged the swarm with a blanket and breaked off a leg of his bed. The other animals were inching closer to him. "Get over here now! All of you!"

The strongest animals, Leo and Felicia, used the leg and their brutal strength and attempted to break down every wall of the bedroom and bathroom. Unfortunately, none of their attempts worked by the time the flies devoured the blankets and decided to finish the pillows.

"It's no use!" Felicia panted. "That's just my luck, dying with you all!"

Benny gasped and pointed at the sinks. "Look! A mirror!" A single, full body mirror stood beside the sinks. Nick and Benny rushed to it and scrutinized it.

"So what?!" Leo yelled.

Nick ignored the lion and pawed the glass. "It's double-sided! Give me the leg!" Leo shook his head and shoved Nick aside.

"Move, fox! I've got this!" Leo hit the mirror unforgivably until its cracks left a sizable opening on the other side, where a dimly lit hallway greeted them. Without thinking, Benny carried Gazelle bridal style, and they, with Leo and Felicia, scrammed out of the room.

Judy and Nick were right on their tails before they could escape, however, the flies began to surround and mercilessly bite them. They had already wolfed down the pillows and were now chewing on Judy's ears, making the poor rabbit yelp in pain.

Ignoring the pain inflicted on his tail, Nick took one look at his wife and then at the toilet. With one resolute nod, he took her in his arms and ran like a mad fox to the toilet, jumped into the bowl, and flushed it.

"Hold your breath, honey!"

xxx

"Sly... fox..." She gave him a grateful smile.

Nick smiled warmly in return. "Well, if I'm going in a toilet, you're going in a toilet."

Both were coughing violently by the time they were found. McHorn was not pleased to find them in sewage.

"But then again..." He gave the other four a stern look. "Breaking that mirror wasn't the best case scenario of passing the test either. But to each his own..." His eyes returned to his clipboard. They were all in the tech room.

"How else were we going to do it?" Gazelle wondered.

"Hole in floor with underground tunnel, fly food, explosives..." As he droned, they all openly gaped at him. "We've had... creative recruits in the past. Believe me. Still, you kids haven't seen the worst yet."

McHorn sighed tiredly and examined what he jotted down on his notes, which were clipped to his clipboard. "Excellent work, Nick, when you pointed out the double-sided mirror... Leo, good use of what you had... You all passed..." He paused and looked at them with disappointment and boredom. "But, you all failed in one way. You all abandoned your teammate."

He pointed to the cameras in their bedroom and saw Yax, who was chatting amiably with the flies. Surprisingly, they were not hurting or annoying him.

"I'm not dead, dudes!" Yax shouted at the camera. "They love me!"

"Probably because you smell like Leo's furry ass," Nick quipped quietly to Judy, earning a growl from the lion.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 **Author's Note: I lost all my notes. Yippee... So, sorry but the process might be slow. Thank you all for your patience, support, and encouragement.**

"I can't feel a thing," Felicia complained, shivering in her thick coat. Yax was free to go after he failed the fly test, and the rest of them faced their next challenge the next morning.

"The key is teamwork," McHorn had instructed on the plane as they all suited up in provided sweatshirts, coats, pants, and boots. "And stamina. We're flying you to the coldest district in Zootopia, the third coldest place in the world: the Arctic District. Remember to stay together. This will not be any winter wonderland. That rare breed of fly was your first step."

Benny turned to Felicia with a perplexed look. "Aren't you polar bears used to these conditions?" The polar bear gave him her nastiest glare, effectively shutting him up.

The six of them trudged through the snow, most buried knee deep in it, for an hour or two at least. They were not permitted to bring watches, so they had no idea how much time had passed since they were dropped off. Then, Benny had to pause to catch his breath and collect himself, frustrating Leo and Felicia.

"Come on, you house cat!" Leo snarled, sharing an annoyed look with Felicia. "We have to stick together, remember?"

Gazelle gave the cheetah a pat on the back for encouragement, causing him to blush. "We can do this, Benny! Come on!"

Grinning dreamily as she walked ahead of him, Benny followed her like a tantalized puppy. Nick noticed his behavior and nudged Benny playfully.

"Keep your head in the game, Benny!"

They all endured the cold for another half hour until Gazelle suddenly spotted a remote cottage on a hill up ahead. Felicia was ready to barge into it, but Judy quickly protested.

"It may be a trap, another test -"

"I really don't care, Cottontail! I need some water, so shut your mouth!" Felicia led the others up the hill and to the doorstep. Leo banged on the door.

"Hello! We're Kingzoo agents and we -"

"Actually," Nick piped up. "We're not yet -" Leo growled at him, but Nick just shrugged.

"Just saying..."

The door opened, revealing, to their surprise, Yax. Only, he was not wrapped in a towel anymore. After one glance, they all wished he still was...

Judy squealed and averted her eyes, amusing her unfazed husband. "Oooh! You are naked!"

"Disgusting!" Leo groused, while Nick just smirked at Judy and the other three blushed and coughed violently.

Yax looked down at his exposed body and chuckled lightly. "Oh, for sure! This here's a naturalist spot, dudes! I returned to my old friends and hobbies after Kingzoo." Yax stepped aside, welcoming them inside. "Come in! Meet my friends. Meet Nangi."

Tempted by the warm, smoky fireplace and the lingering smells of hot cocoa and incense, all six animals removed their coats, rushed inside, and placed their coats on the huge coat hanger inside. The fireplace, with its embers glowing brightly, welcomed them. Three sleepy, nude, and presumably drunk cats greeted them, rocking to and for in rocking chairs in front of the fireplace. They passed the kitchenette, where naked rodents and turtles and snakes ate grapes and mingled. Naked wolves were meditating in the living room. Naked pigs were giving each other mud massages in the bathroom. In the bedrooms, nude animals of all sorts were either playing charades, talking, or, as Nick put it, "keeping doors shut for good reasons."

Well, one pair of squirrels did not.

"Oh..." Nick, still smirking amusedly, knelt to Judy's level. The poor rabbit froze, her mouth agape and her face flushed bright red. "Does this make you uncomfortable?"

Judy watched the group leave without them and scowled at Nick. "Well, _honey,_ it's not everyday that you see two squirrels make out and act so... so... licentious!"

"No, it's not everyday that a prudish bunny from Bunnyburrow sees two squirrels make out."

"Nick, you are insufferable."

"I love you, too, Carrots."

"Let's just pretend we did not see that, okay?"

Nick, to her relief, agreed silently, and the pair quickly caught up with the group. They ventured outside. Naked giraffes were ice skating. Naked bears were playing volleyball. And lastly, a beautiful, nude elephant was stretching shamelessly with a familiar face.

"Agent McHorn?!" The rhino nodded to the shocked six and continued stretching. He was naked, too, and apparently unashamed.

"Yes, and congratulations for passing the test. You're all welcomed to have hot cocoa. There are also snacks in the kitchen."

"Hey, Nangi!" Yax shouted a greeting to the elephant, who just glanced at him irritably. "Remember when I signed up for Kingzoo?"

"What?"

"Kingzoo, the Secret Service?"

"I have no memory of this cult."

"It's an agency," McHorn corrected her.

"I bet I didn't get any farther because I don't have Nangi's memory." The yak sighed wistfully. "I can't even remember what I ate last month. Wait... It was a burrito with five, six clovers and tomato wrapped into a wheat tortilla. Mmm... Remember, Nangi? I ate in in the kitchen."

"No."

"Yeah, it was after I set those lovesick squirrels up. It was four o'clock. We had eleven guests, half as many as we do today." He gazed admirably at Nangi. "I wish I had the memory of an elephant..."

"Anyway," McHorn spoke up to the six. "We're onto your next test; tolerability." McHorn groaned and glanced at Yax almost bitterly. "This naturalist club has agreed to fund us generously if I ask you to strip."

Benny, Gazelle, and Judy gawked and blushed, while Nick just laughed smugly and Felicia and Leo rolled their eyes while blushing ever so slightly.

"We're on a low budget," McHorn explained, "and this is a test. So strip, or drop out."

Judy immediately sputtered excuses to Nick, while Felicia and Leo slowly and hesitantly stripped. "Nick I can't do this -"

Nick stopped smiling and gave her a comforting pat. "Carrots, don't worry about them. Don't be embarrassed. Just look at me. Just me."

Judy nodded shyly, ducked her head, and began removing her clothes. Gazelle, meanwhile, doffed her clothes quickly and decided to help Benny by shielding him with his sweatshirt.

"It's okay, Benny. I'll cover you." Noticing he was studying her intently, Gazelle bit her lip nervously. "What is it? What's on my face?"

"N-Nothing!" Benny squeaked. _You're absolutely stunning, you angel with horns..._

"It's my legs, isn't it?" She looked down at them and sighed. "Oh, they're so ashy!"

Grateful for the distraction, Judy tossed her a bottle she had stored in her fanny pack. "You can borrow my carrot scented lotion, if you like." Gazelle smiled and thanked her.

"Nick," Judy whispered, her paws clenching the material of her sweatshirt as she turned back to the fox. "I can't..." She shivered as she felt the nudists gaze at her. Nick glared at their audience and gently helped her out of the shirt.

"Then let me help." Still blushing, Judy slowly helped him help her doff her clothes. Nick was blushing himself by the time they were through, and Judy found herself grinning as her eyes met his.

There were no traces of lust, only love. He was just as shy and uncomfortable about this, about this whole mess.

This vulnerable side of Nick, these rare traces in his loving, humorous personality, made her love him even more.

Their noses touched in synch, and Judy's mind went blank as she lost herself in his green orbs. "Is it possible to love you even more?" She whispered longingly.

Shaken by her question, Nick shook his head, and the smug smirk returned to his face.

"Well, I am irresistibly handsome, Carrots. You know you agree." Judy just continued smiling and pecked his nose. He, in return, kissed her lips, causing Yax to whoop.

"Yeah, dudes! Make out! It's natural, baby!"

xxx

That evening, they all gathered in front of a small village of rodents, which was far from the mansion but not far from Nick and Judy's apartment in Zootopia.

"Your next mission: removing a dangerous threat among civilliians." McHorn set a timer as a helicopter hovered over the village, dropped a shopping bag, and flew away.

"Your time starts... now."

They all raced like mad animals to where the bag was dropped. Carefully avoiding the scrambling and panicking villagers, the six animals were head to head until Benny tripped on his tail and grabbed Felicia's shoulder to balance himself. They both tumbled and fell.

"You stupid overweight cheetah!" She howled as he accidentally stepped on her paw.

"Sorry! So sorry!"

Gazelle found the threat: a firecracker, which was a dud.

"Quite anticlimactic," Nick mused as they returned to the mansion.

xxx

The tests or "missions" became more competitive after that day. Days passed. Weeks passed. Eventually, two whole months flew by the training troop.

"Your next mission: fight until the fall." Leo won that one.

"Your next mission: Grace. Balance four plates while fighting an opponent." Benny won that one, to everyone else's surprise.

"Your next mission: five laps." Gazelle won that one.

Then one day, McHorn took them to a huge, gray aircraft. When he saw the plane and heard McHorn say the word "skydive", Nick almost urinated in his pants.

He was terrified of heights.

xxx

Bogo knocked on the door and entered the spacious classroom. A lone black panther dressed in a brown suit was glancing over some notes at his desk.

He was the one, the math professor.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Manchas."

"Good afternoon," the panther greeted warily, looking up from his papers. "Can I help you, sir?"

"No, but I need to help you."

Mr. Manchas looked puzzled, but then he chortled to himself. "My good fellow, I am the professor. Aren't I? But since you've piqued my interest..." He lazily stood from his desk and calmly approached Bogo. "...What do you need to help me with?"

His condescending attitude did not faze Bogo, but he still felt a little tense when Manchas stood. "Sir, I have evidence to believe that you are a member of a very intriguing, very elusive group. So I must -"

The panther pounced on him immediately, sending Bogo to the floor. The two struggled and tossed each other around. Bogo reached for his gun.

 _SPLAT_ _!_

Bogo paled. He had kept samples of Dawn's Blues on him. He bought them earlier for research. Now, they were painted on the panther's face.

What happened next truly shook the cape buffalo. The panther leapt off of Bogo, and clawed and scratched his face, desperately trying to remove the blueberry juice. Then, his bright green eyes narrowed to slits, and he released a ferocious, savage growl.

With one look at Bogo, Manchas attacked.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 ***I still own nothing! Besides, this is all I could think of.**

"Judy?"

The gray rabbit grabbed Nick's shaky paws. She knew why he was so tense, but she would let him open up to her first. That is, if he wanted to do that.

"Yes, Nick?"

The plane accelerated and zoomed into the clouds. Its bumpy ride made him shake even more and sweat.

"Um, well, yeah, funny story..."

"Nick?" Gazelle turned to the fox and looked at him worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"He's just afraid of heights," Leo snapped arrogantly, a cruel smirk forming on his lips. He was mighty proud of himself for figuring out what the fox feared. "Pathetic, isn't it?" Gazelle just rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.

"You're pathetic, Leo."

Nick glumly removed Judy's paws from his and clutched his tail. "He's right, Carrots. I can't do it. I'm... I'm sorry..."

Judy shook her head and grasped his paws again. "Nick, you can. I'll be right behind you. I promise."

"Uh, guys?" Benny sheepishly pointed to the opening portion of the fuselage. "I think we've arrived at our landing spot!"

"Agents," McHorn spoke to them from his office. McHorn and the agents were wearing microchips so they could communicate with each other. "It's time to go."

Nick pressed his body against his seat, panting a little. "Judy," he whispered. "I'm afraid."

"I know. I also know you can do this."

"AAAAH!" Felicia was the first to go. Leo watched her jump and gave Nick a smug grin.

"You snooze, you lose, fox! So long!" He fell backwards. Gazelle managed to encourage Benny to jump with her. Consequently, Nick, Judy, and the irritated wolf pilot were the only ones left on the aircraft.

Judy stood up and surveyed the height, biting her lip. It was rather daunting...

"Carrots? Don't go yet." Judy turned to Nick, and her heart sank. He was glued to his seat, trembling with wide eyes. She had never seen him look so vulnerable.

She had to be brave for them both.

"It's now or never, Wilde's." McHorn spoke up.

Judy marched up to Nick and gently guided him to the edge. Her paw found his paw and clutched it tightly.

"Nick, just don't let go, and I promise..." She dumbly took another glance below and gulped audibly. "I, uh, I promise you'll be okay. I'm here for you."

Nick studied her violet eyes before nodding. With one last breath, the couple hopped off the aircraft.

xxx

"WHOOO!" Nick shouted and cried with glee as Judy somersaulted and took back his paw during their descent.

"There they are!" Judy dove for the others, and Nick copied her movements. They soon caught up with the other four.

"Glad to see you could join us!" Benny shouted jokingly to them.

"Isn't it breathtaking?" Gazelle admired the view below her.

"Yeah..." Nick stole one glance at the ground and shivered. "That's one way of putting it..."

Meanwhile, McHorn kept track of their progress. Every potential recruit was wearing a tracking device that showed on McHorn's laptop computer how far they were falling, how close they were to the ground, where they were, who they were, etc.

"Excellent job, agents." He began to smirk slyly. "But can you handle this mission: outlier rescue? This is another mission centered on teamwork."

"What is it?" Judy wondered nervously. "What do we have to do aside from skydive? It can't be that easy."

"Correct, Mrs. Wilde. In addition falling freely, you all must show me what to do when one of you does not have a parachute."

"SHIT!" Nick began hyperventilating. They were only a few thousand feet above ground at that point, and everyone was decently spread out.

 _I might die without hearing my son speak his first words._

"NICK!" Judy screamed. "Just don't let go! I've got an idea!" Judy met Gazelle's eyes and raised Nick and her intertwined paws. The lovely gazelle understood quickly and took Benny's paw.

"Everyone grab on to each other! NOW!" One by one, all the animals grabbed each other's paws and hooves and formed a circle.

"Guys!" Everyone else turned to Benny. "Let's open our parachutes one at a time! Then we can see who's got nothing!"

"I'll go first!" Leo volunteered before anyone could protest. Felicia opened hers next.

"Judy!" Gazelle yelled at the bunny. "Or Nick! Open yours!"

"No!" Judy squeezed Nick's paw. He looked ready to vomit or even faint. "We're staying together! You and Benny open yours!" They did so, but not before Benny grabbed her hoof to guarantee their safety. All four had opened parachutes. That mean either Judy or Nick had no safety net.

Even in stressful situations, Nick could think cleverly, and he did so that afternoon. Gambling with a fifty-fifty chance, Nick grabbed Judy's waist and held her below him. Her back was facing the ground, and their stomachs and noises collided.

"NICK!"

"JUST TRUST ME!" He struggled to open the parachute. No, it had to be him. It had to be, or they both would die.

McHorn nearly chocked on his tea. The Wilde's were only several hundred feet above, dangerously close to the ground.

"WILDE, OPEN THAT DAMN PARACHUTE!"

"I'M TRYING!" They were only five hundred feet above. Four hundred. Three hundred.

"NICK!" He could see the tear's in his wife's eyes.

"JUST HOLD ON TO ME!" Their eyes met, and they saw their lives flashing through each other's eyes. Breathless, Nick opened the parachute and touched her forehead with his own.

"Don't let go...I've got you." They were going to die, Judy realized. Die before seeing their son grow up. Die and no longer hold each other, laugh with and at each other. Die and never grow old with one another...

Two hundred. One hundred...

 _I'll be damned if my ending isn't happy!_ Ignoring the fact that Nick had opened his parachute, Judy angrily looked into his eyes and gave him their seemingly last passionate kiss. Nick quickly responded and wrapped his arms around his little bunny. They descended while kissing. They only stopped when gravity took over and they hit the mansion's grass lawn roughly.

"Again," Nick mused later that afternoon. "Anticlimactic." They both had stressed over absolutely nothing.

Judy had a parachute, too.

xxx

"One of your final missions... And some of you may have to leave." They all met in the bedroom. The stone-faced rhino showed them a picture of a cute, female Arctic shrew. "Operation Fru Fru."

"What?!" Nick chuckled a little at the absurdity, but Judy shut him up with a hard jab in the ribs. "Ow..."

"This is the target, and her name is Fru Fru, Mr. Wilde. I do hope you're amused and sure of yourself, because your mission is to charm this shrew and kidnap her. Whoever displays a sufficient amount of stealth and suavity stays. Do you all understand?" They all nodded. "Excellent. She'll be at *Hot Fuzz tonight."

xxx

The Hot Fuzz was a nightclub opened to all animals: big and small, furry and scaly, tall and short, etc. Soon, the six spotted their shrew and crept closer to her table.

"Oh my gosh!" Fru Fru exclaimed. She was excitedly gossiping with two mice. Her cute Boston accent and photogenic face could not be missed by the observant six. "Did you see those leggings at Mousy's?"

"O.M. Goodness!" Benny butted in as he 'walked by' their table. "I know exactly the leggings, honey! I have a friend who's addicted to Mousy's apparel! Especially leggings!"

"Really?" Fru Fru turned to Benny and squealed. "So cute! A cheetah and a mouse! I'm Fru Fru - "

"Fru Fru?" Nick 'overheard' Fru Fru and eyed her flirtatiously. "That's a pretty sexy name."

"Ooh, Fru Fru! A fox has his eyes on you!" Her friend whispered teasingly. Fru Fru just shushed her.

Felicia and Leo 'walked by' and sneered at Nick. "Common seducing trick," Leo informed Fru Fru. Felicia nodded in agreement.

"Next thing he'll ask is your sign," Felicia advised the shrew. "Don't fall for it." Her friends looked ready to burst into giggle fits.

Gazelle and Judy 'bumped' into Leo and Nick. They were 'drunk'.

"These drinks as soooo odd, right?" Gazelle playfully winked at Leo and Benny. They both blushed for real.

"Soooo radical!" Judy hiccuped and lazily leaned near Fru Fru's tiny table. "Love your hair," she slurred.

"Oh, thank you!" Fru Fru gushed happily. She stood from her seat. "If you'll excuse me, dears. Raymond!" She called one of the two towering polar bears who were guarding her and her friends. "I need to use the little shrew's room." Raymond offered her his paw, she settled into it, and he whisked her off. After they left, her friends decided to grab some drinks.

After the two mice left, the six sighed tiredly in unison. "Yours was the stupidest idea," Leo told Benny rudely. He glanced at the deliberately disheveled rabbit and gazelle. "And a drunk act? Seriously? That was your classiest idea?" Judy and Gazelle just gave him the stink eye.

"You all did wonderfully." All eyes were on Kevin as he spoke. "Very smart, agents. So sorry about the drinks." He gave them an evil smile. "They're a little strong, aren't they?"

Nick felt his eyes droop and saw Judy at the corner of his eye swaying. He caught her before she could hit her head. He saw the four others dropping like flies. No matter how much Nick fought, he was losing consciousness.

He heard the polar bear before he completely blacked out. "Sleep tight, foxy."

xxx

Judy woke up and frantically looked at her surroundings. She was tied to Nick, who was unconscious. They were suspended upside down in front of a desk in a tiny, dark room. Raymond and Kevin were glaring menacingly at them.

Judy nudged Nick. "Nick," she hissed. "Nick... Baby, wake up."

Nick blinked rapidly and stretched in his ropes. "Mm? Ca-Carrots..."

"Sh! Lower your voice!" She glanced furtively at the polar bears. "Where are we?"

"I don't know. We were drugged. That's all I remember." They watched Raymond stomp to the desk and turn a tiny black chair around, revealing an elderly, male Arctic shrew.

Nick gasped and hushed Judy. "Stay quiet! That's Mr. Big, the most feared crime boss in Tundratown."

"We'll be okay. We just need to be honest -"

"It's not just that," Nick whimpered. "He has...unique ways of extracting information from others."

Mr. Big cleared his throat and glared at the couple. "How dare you. How dare you try to kidnap my daughter. You disrespected me. You disrespected her." He appeared unusually calm. He shook his head with disgust. "I pity you children." He turned to the two polar bears. "Ice 'em."

Kevin cut down the rope and removed a plank of wood underneath them, revealing an icy, chilling pit. Raymond caught and dangled them over the pit.

"If you're at all curious," Mr. Big continued, "there is regular then dry ice in the pit. The surface is at least negative twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit. So, you'll quickly suffer from frostbite at least. The more you fall, the colder it gets." Mr. Big nodded. "Ice 'em."

Nick and Judy gasped as the fog of the dry ice floated inches away from their faces. They could almost taste and feel the cold, the coldness of a slow death.

Mr. Big raised his tiny paw. "Wait." Raymond paused, while Judy and Nick held their breaths.

Mr. Big leaned forward with a wicked grin. "I suppose I could release you too from a fate as cold as death... Just answer this: What is Kingzoo?"


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"What is that?" Judy quickly played dumb, but Mr. Big must have seen through her attempt and shook his head at her.

"My child, your dishonesty is quite rude and insulting to a shrew of my age."

"We're sorry, sir!" Nick wiggled in the ropes. "But we have no idea what you're talking about."

"Well..." The shrew sighed frustratingly. "If you have nothing to say, then I have one request..." His evil grin returned to his face. "Say hello to my late Grandmama!" He turned to Raymond. "Lower 'em!"

Judy and Nick struggled and squirmed as Raymond lowered them more and more. The dry ice was centimeters from their faces at that point, and they cautiously shut their eyes tightly.

"Is this Kingzoo worth burns and eventual death?" The shrew condescendingly questioned. "Is it truly worth dying for? Whatever they pay you I can pay double!" His tone turned more threatening and aggressive. "What is it?!"

"We know nothing!" Nick lied loudly, clutching his wife's paw.

"Let us go!" Judy squeezed Nick's paw so hard that both of theirs were red. This was it.

They suddenly stopped. No gas burned them. No fall startled them. No shrew continued taunting them. Judy opened one eye at Raymond and saw the polar bear... smirking.

Then, they heard a clap. Then another. Soon, they heard someone clapping enthusiastically. Nick opened his eyes and looked up. There, beside Mr. Big's table, was Bogo, clapping and smirking at the pair. He wore a cast. He nodded at Raymond, and the polar bear gently set them on safe ground and untied them.

"Congratulations, agents." Bogo gave them a rare, fatherly smile. "You passed. I cannot express how proud I am and how proud Chris Wilde and Bonnie Hopps would have been."

xxx

"What happened, Chief?"

"Do not worry, Mr. Wilde. I'll explain everything later."

They followed Bogo to McHorn's tech room. One screen showed Mr. Big interrogating the panicky Leo and Felicia. Both Judy and Nick shared amused looks.

"I see they're taking their test," Judy noted, gesturing to the screen. Bogo's smirk widened.

"Gazelle and Clauwhauser passed theirs," Bogo explained. "I thought you two wanted to see these two." The three of them watched Felicia and Leo fail the test. The agent who recruited them, a warthog named Carl, barked at them as they left.

"I can't believe you two! How could you? You both were so close! I'm telling your father about this, Leonardo!"

The grumbling lion suddenly dropped to the ground and groveled. "No, no, NO! Please don't tell him!"

Felicia just rolled her eyes and angrily slapped Kevin, who had secretly checked her out. "My eyes are up here, loser! Let's go, Leo!" She was the first to leave. Carl, with Leo clinging to his back legs, trailed after her.

"Don't!" Leo whined. "Don't! Don't! Don't!"

xxx

A few hours later, McHorn called the top four and their mentors to his office.

"Angelica." He politely nodded to the leopard who had recruited Gazelle and Benny. "Bogo." He nodded to him as well. "Your recruits have performed exceptionally well. But, I have noticed their flaws concering missions, and I believe each pair should have a different mission that focuses on these faults.

Gazelle and Benjamin? You both take action and can improvise under pressure wonderfully, but you need to focus more on research and seeking information pragmatically and efficiently. An agent heavily relies on his or her research. You will work with Angelica and me today. We need to find more information about our newest target.

Judith and Nick? You do the opposite: focus on the facts and tend to ignore the action and the need for improvisation. With Bogo, you will pose as a singer, bodyguard, and manager." He turned to his computer and, after a bit of typing, showed them a picture of a smiling sheep: the former assistant mayor Dawn Bellwether.

"This is our target. The singer's name is Josie. A bunny." He nodded to Judy. "We sent a request, and she has invited you three to a lovely dinner tonight at her mansion nearby." He gave them all a stern glance. "Josie generously agreed to donate a billion dollars for her cause."

Judy cocked her head. The former assistant mayor was behind all this?

"What cause?"

McHorn typed some more, and a video appeared and played on the screen. In the video, Bogo was questioning a black panther when suddenly the panther brutally attacked him and injured his arm. Luckily, Bogo sedated him before the panther could escape or hurt him more.

"Bogo? I've done some research myself. Your cult idea was correct."

"And this sheep and her tiger are the leaders of it?" Nick asked incredulously. "But she's just a nice old sheep, the kind with a gigantic home."

"She will be the leader. That's why she has been kidnapping all these well-known and famous animals, mostly prey animals. The panther is a professor named Mr. Manchas."

"But she's only advertising her blueberries -" Nick paused in mid sentence. "Wait a minute... Dawn's Blues... The blueberries Bogo had..." He pointed to the video. "The blueberries...

Benny's jaw dropped. "They're making the chosen go savage?!"

"We don't know her whole plan yet," McHorn answered impatiently. "What we do know is that her product is making animals go savage. Maybe they're just predators..." Nick growled to himself, and Judy took his paw. "Maybe all animals are in danger. That's why I need you and your recruits, Angelica, to come with me. My notes are in the tech room, and there are seats for all of you." And with that, McHorn left for his tech room. Angelica, Benny, and Gazelle followed him.

Bogo faced Judy and Nick with a grim look. "Okay, agents. You heard him. Let's get ready for dinner."

xxx

"Josie!" Bellwether squealed and kissed Judy's cheeks. "You're even cuter in person!"

Judy forced a laugh and patted the sheep's hooves. "Thank you for inviting us." They were inside the dining room with Nick and Bogo, waiting for Slayer to finish setting the table.

"It's the least I can do for such a generous bunny like yourself. You know..." Bellwether leaned closer to Judy and giggled. "Us little guys gotta stick together."

"Like glue," Judy joked, evoking a laugh from Bellwether.

"That's a good one!" She finally spared a glance at Nick and Bogo. "And who are your friends?"

Bogo walked up to Bellwether, knelt to her level, and shook her hoof. "Steve Smith. Manager." Nick instinctively wrapped an arm around Judy's shoulders and nodded.

"And I'm Josie's bodyguard, Peter Foxtrot."

Bellwether cocked her head. "Foxtrot, huh? Gosh, I wish Slayer was half as protective as you!"

Earning a stern look from Judy, Nick put some distance between Judy and him and coughed softly. "Well, I don't earn two hundred bucks a day to be lazy, do I?"

"Ignore him," Judy groaned. "He's such a child sometimes. His wife and I agree."

Bellwether chortled dramatically again, making even Bogo's eye twitch. Luckily, Slayer arrived just in time with their dinner.

"Do sit!" Bellwether insisted. "We're having blueberry pie tonight!"

xxx

For most of their stay, the dinner flew by smoothly. Bellwether and her assistant Slayer did not seem to suspect anything, and Bogo had tested everything and secretly informed them that nothing was poisoned. Nick was even tempted to have some blueberry pie, but Judy suggested otherwise.

"Once you start you can't stop," she reminded him sofltly. "And neither can I." Thus, they skipped dessert and let Bogo wolf down a piece of pie. (That did not mean Nick could not glare at Bogo.)

But once they finished dessert, Bellwether brought up something unnerving.

"Ever watch spy movies, Mr. Smith?" Bogo almost choked on his red wine, while Judy quietly clutched her armrest and Nick gave Judy an anxious look.

Bogo composed himself, instantly, however, and answered her question calmly. "Not really, Ms. Bellwether. They're pretty overrated if you ask me." Judy and Nick nodded.

Bellwether sipped her drink. "That was my dream job... being a spy."

"I prefer the villains, actually." Nick piped up nervously. "They're more interesting."

Both Bellwether and Slayer eyed him. "Really, Mr. Foxtrot?" His name rolled off her tongue almost mockingly. She took another gulp of her wine and swiveled it.

"Well, it's a shame we had to grow up. Isn't it?"

xxx

"Well?" Bellwether shut the door and turned to Slayer, who looked possessed with bloodlust.

"Rest for now. We'll find their little organization tomorrow." Bellwether watched the trio leave through her window. "Unfortunately, the bunny and fox did not eat the tracking berries, but the buffalo did. That's good enough."

xxx

"Well?" Bogo turned to the curious bunny and fox.

"Well, nothing. I think we did okay. We'll just gather our assumptions and present them to McHorn." He shrugged languidly. "That's all we can do."

Once they were in the car, Judy turned to Nick. "Foxtrot? Really?"

"Oh, like you could have thought of anything better!"

xxx

McHorn asked for Judy and Nick the following day. They found him sitting on the sofa of his room and drinking a cup of coffee. He nodded for them to sit down at the twin chairs beside him.

"Good morning." The returned the greeting with confident grins. Recruitment had to be around the corner.

McHorn extracted a gun from his jean pocket and aimed at Nick. The poor fox gulped and raised his paws. Judy stared at McHorn in shock. But then, the rhino chuckled and gave the gun to Nick.

His smile was replaced by a frown. "Shoot her." He gestured to Judy.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"What?!" Nick glanced surreptitiously at Judy. "I can't shoot Judy! Are you insane?"

"Nick. Do it."

The fox whipped his head at the rabbit. "Excuse me?"

"Maybe it's a blank."

"I'm not taking any chances." He stood up and grabbed her paw. "Let's go."

Before Judy could stand up, McHorn clicked a button on the armrest of his couch, and metal restraints instantly trapped Judy in her seat.

"Nick!"

"Let her go." Nick turned to McHorn, glaring fiercely at him. "And if you think I'm shooting her, you have another thing coming!"

The rhino just looked at him like he was a kit throwing a tantrum. "Mr. Wilde, time is money. Either you shoot her, or you both quit. Only one agent can move forward from here."

Nick looked at the gun pensively and then at Judy, who stopped struggling and watched him warily. Could he do it? No, it was his wife. His best friend. Tommy's mother. But then again, this was his dream. But was it not _their_ dream?

"There are plenty of rabbits just like her." McHorn chortled raucously. "They multiply!"

"Nick." His paws shook as he held the gun. "Do what's right."

"I will," he promised, before facing McHorn again. "You said only one agent can go on, right? What if I shoot myself?"

"Nick! NO!" Judy wiggled in the tight restraints, even though she knew it was futile. "You can't!"

"You're the mother of our child!"

"And you're his father!"

"Think of my mom, Carrots! Think of what we could give her and Tommy!"

"You are NOT killing yourself for money!"

Nick pressed the cool metal against his temple. "But I can't shoot you." Judy just looked away and wept in response. Nick stared at her remorsefully. He hated making her cry, but he knew her pain would be over shortly. It just took one shot...

 _BANG!_

Nick froze. That shot heard from the other room seemed to wake something sensible inside him, and he dropped the gun. Judy breathed a sign of relief, while McHorn just chuckled sonorously and shook his head at them.

"Tsk. Tsk. I expected more from you Wilde's. At least the gazelle's got guts." Judy and Nick just glowered at him. McHorn released Judy. Nick helped Judy out of her chair, and they quietly, though angrily, left the mansion.

xxx

Meanwhile, Gazelle and Benny stared curiously at Angelica, who had ordered Gazelle to shoot Benny. Gazelle hesitantly did it, hoping it was a blank, and it was.

"So..." Benny whimpered. "What's next?"

Angelica's ears perked up for a certain noise. Finding nothing, she grinned triumphantly. "Looks like there are no more tests for you kids. The rabbit and fox failed their test." She shook both hoof and paw. "Welcome to the team, agents."

xxx

Since they did not have a ride home, Judy and Nick stole a limo and drove off, scowls still intact. They only dropped their sour looks when they pulled up in front of their apartment and mustered up smiles for Charlotte.

"Nick! Judy!" Charlotte hugged them tightly. "Come! Sit!" She led them inside and started making them some tea.

"Where's the little monster, Mom?"

"Taking a nap. You two lost weight. Did they feed you enough or..." As Charlotte started to ramble and nag motherly about the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, Judy noticed something alarming.

"Charlotte, what's that?" Judy pointed Charlotte's eye, which looked poorly and hastily covered in makeup. The vixen just shrugged and turned away from her son and daughter-in-law.

"W-What's what?"

Nick growled and cupped his mother's chin, forcing her to face them again, and brushed the makeup away. A big, purple bruise was on her temple, and the eye was black.

"A black eye," Nick whispered darkly, releasing Charlotte and sharing a look of disgust with Judy. "He did that?!"

"Nicky, Judy, just calm down -"

"That son of a bitch," Judy hissed, clenching her paws into fists. Nick nodded and left wordlessly. Judy followed him, ignoring Charlotte's protests and crying.

"Nick! Judy! Wait! It's not what you think!" But it was. Dan crossed the line big time.

xxx

Dan, Gideon, and Gideon's gang members smirked as the couple drove up to them. They were drinking outside, beside their bar.

"Nice limo, freaks!" Duke barked. "Stole it?"

"Shut your trap, Duke!" Judy looked so furious that Duke listened to her and closed his mouth. For being a cute little bunny, she looked frightening when pissed.

Nick, although appearing calmer, was steaming inside. "We'd like a word with you two." He nodded to Dan and Gideon.

Dan just rolled his eyes and downed his drink. "A word? What's that supposed to mean, Mamma's boy?"

Nick and Judy cracked their knuckles. "Why don't you send your posse inside and find out, boys?"

Gideon was about to retort, but Dan cut him off and nodded at the others, who gave the married couple glares and obediently went inside.

"Alright, freaks." Gideon smirked and cracked his own knuckles. "Hop out of your stolen ride and show us how it's done." They were about to, but then the front window rolled back up on its own.

"Nick?" He was driving.

Nick shook his head as the wheel began to turn on its own. "I'm not doing it, Carrots. I'm not -" Both stiffened, struck by the same idea, and turned to each other.

"Bogo - OW!" The cried out in unison after their heads accidentally collided. The limo skidded away from Gideon and Dan, who looked mildly disappointed but mostly amused.

"That's right! Drive off you stupid kids! Come back when you're ready for a real brawl with the daddies of 'em!"

The limo ended up in front of Kingzoo mansion. Bogo, I-pad in hooves, was controlling the vehicle with a stern frown.

xxx

"Words cannot express how disappointed I am."

Nick and Judy just stared dully at Bogo, trying their best to hide their anger. Who was he to be disappointed? They simply could not do it. That test was insane. It was not for them. The did not sign up for it.

"Actually, they can. Care to guess how I'll begin?" He paused sarcastically before continuing to rant. "Let's start with your parents - "

"Don't you dare," Judy finally snapped crossly, "bring my mother and his father into this! Do you even know what we had to do?"

"Yes, actually I do. Because I did it myself." The couple stared at him in shock. "Don't act so naive, Wilde's. My partner was McHorn. And as you can see, he's perfectly fine and he's in tech support. Did you honestly think we'd kill our potential recruits? Yax? He was trained to scare you all. Took the fly immunization. And the rest of you? Perfectly fine! One of our oaths is only to take a life when all else fails. The only thing we cannot prevent is... an accident."

Nick just crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, we didn't know that before that sick, demented rhino told me to blow my wife's brains out!"

"Why don't you just stop thinking like an agent once?!" Judy shouted. "Our parents probably wanted what normal parents want for their children: a nice spouse, a home, not this hullabaloo!"

Bogo stared down at Judy so threateningly that Nick pulled her back. "You wanna know what's a bunch of hullabaloo, Judith Hopps? Listening to you two complain about some stupid test! I've done so much for you two and this is how you show your gratitude, failing a simple test and stealing one of our limos. Therefore, you have failed and embarrassed me."

Nick laughed humorlessly. "Who do you think you are? Our father? What you say means nothing to us!"

"Why don't you just leave?!" Terrible memories overwhelmed Judy as Bogo loomed over her, and she found herself burying her face in Nick's chest. "Please..."

She remembered the slashing, the hitting, the pleading... He had towered over her, too, deriding her, mocking her, saying how much of a failure she was...

Bogo and Nick stared at her wordlessly, Nick with concern, Bogo with guilt, until Bogo knelt down to their level and tried to comfort her.

"Judy, I'm - "

"Get out," Nick whispered, his eyes glowing slightly red. Bogo shivered but tried again.

"Judy - "

"Do you bastards ever listen?! GET OUT!" Bogo gave a slight nod, gave Nick his laptop computer, and walked away.

"I will be on a mission concerning Bellwether," Bogo elucidated as he reached the door. "You'll get footage from my and Gazelle's and Benny's cameras."

They watched him leave solemnly. Then, Judy patted Nick's arm and turned to the laptop.

"Carrots?"

"We have to make sure they're okay, don't we?" Nick shrugged and sat beside Judy. Sometimes his dumb bunny was too quick to forgive. She turned on the computer, and three live videos began.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

 **Author's Note: There is offensive content in this chapter. Please forgive my characters. Enjoy!**

Bogo drove Gazelle and Benny in his old, mustard yellow jeep to stay in character and not look too sketchy. (The Wolf Pack was not known for keeping limos.) They ended up at the Wolf Pack's Palace, a huge meeting house that looked abandoned.

The Wolf Pack was an extremist group that believed wolves were superior over all animals and were destined to rule the world. They were not religious but they were certainly eccentric. Their meetings were always held at that meeting house, and that house was where Bellwether was.

 _"This is brilliant, Slayer! Absolutely brilliant! The test is almost ready!"_

"How did you get this?" Benny gestured to the signals from their car radio, which indicated where Bellwether was.

"My last mission undercover." He parked the car and hopped out. "Now come on, you two!" They were all dressed in remarkable wolf disguises.

"Gazelle," Bogo whispered as they headed inside. "Come with me. Benny? Stay outside just in case if they're nearby."

xxx

"What are they doing?" Judy wondered aloud. She and Nick were captivated by the footage by the time the trio was at the mansion.

"The question is what is the sheep doing," Nick murmured. They watched from the cameras the wolf cult howl excitably. "And what's with the howling? I just don't get it."

"Nick, that's how they greet each other."

"Yeah, but these guys take it to another level, like everything else."

xxx

Gazelle and Bogo took a seat, and the meeting began. "My brothers and sisters!" The alpha male exclaimed from the podium. "Welcome! Welcome old members! Welcome new members! Welcome to paradise!" The members cheered in response. "Now for today's meeting I ask you... Are predator-prey relationships... acceptable?"

"NO!"

"Should we let their 'family values' poison the minds of our children?"

"NO!"

"They're already ignorant and naive! They need our guidance! Just like the females!"

xxx

"Oh brother..." Nick rolled his eyes and laid down on his stomach.

"'Just like the females!'" Judy mocked with a lower voice.

"I'm kind of hoping something happens just so they can shut up."

xxx

The head wolf continued babbling as Bogo and Gazelle decided to leave. Bellwether and Slayer were nowhere inside the meeting house.

"Benny?" Gazelle spoke to the cheetah from her microchip. "Found anything?"

"No. You?"

"Nothing."

Bogo lightly tapped Gazelle's "paw". "Let's go," he whispered. They stood up and tried to go, but a female wolf blocked their way.

"Where are you two going? The meeting's not over."

Bogo's gaze hardened at her, so Gazelle briskly and gently responded. "Please, ma'am. We have to go."

The wolf just sneered. "I don't think so. No one leaves during one of my handsome second cousin's speeches!" Heads turned to them, and the head wolf almost stopped speaking.

"We have to use the restroom," Bogo explained.

"Both of you?"

Bogo pursed his lips into a thin line. Then, he leaned closer to the wolf. "Actually, we're going to call my girlfriend, Sasha. She's a fox who likes to dress as a horse. Her sister is my friend's wife. This friend." He gestured to Gazelle, who just stared at him. "So let cats and dogs make out, kiss my furry ass, and goodbye."

xxx

"Comic gold." Nick grinned amusedly.

"Wait a minute." Judy stared closer at the footage and pointed at the screen labeled "Gazelle's cam". "What are those?"

Nick peered at the screen. "Blueberries? Why are wolves gonna eat blueberries?"

xxx

From a nearby building, Slayer tapped rapidly on his laptop and glanced at the meeting house. "You sure this is gonna work? Just because we sold those berries to them, doesn't mean they'll eat them. Right?"

Bellwether chuckled and relaxed in her seat, which was facing the window that showed her the meeting house. "Don't worry. It's just a test. When I say go, activate them."

"How do you know when they'll eat them?"

"I studied this pack for a while. Wait for the howl, Slayer. Wait for the howl."

xxx

"Let's eat these caribou-flavored blueberries!" The speaker announced jovially. "Our lunch break and my gift to you!"

Gazelle and Bogo were inches away from the door when wolves began forcing blueberries into their mouths and gullets and eating some themselves. Outside, Benny heard chewing and grew worried.

"Guys? Are they forcing you to eat? Hello?!"

A lone wolf stepped outside and hugged Benny. "Hey, bro! What're you doing away from the pack? Here!" He stuffed some fruit in Benny's mouth. "Try this fruit. Ain't it the best?"

xxx

Bellwether smiled wickedly and cried, "GO!"

xxx

Nick furrowed his brow. "Carrots? Why are they all standing up?"

"I don't know..." Her violet eyes widened as the two agents turned around and tore off their disguises. "Nick... They've got guns! They've got - "

 _BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!_

The couple watched in horror as Bogo, Benny, and the wolves fought each other to the death. Knives formed gashes. Gunshots popped ears. Some wolves even began to break down furniture and bang each other's heads. Some bit. Some scratched. Some gouged eyes out. It was clear, however, that the two agents were gradually winning the savage fight.

Meanwhile, a few wolves went after Gazelle, who remained unaffected and watched her fellow agents with horror and shock. She managed to keep them away with minor use of her weaponry.

xxx

"Turn on the camera in the house," Bellwether instructed. Slayer did so, and both gawked at the amount of violence onscreen.

"It's working even better than we predicted," Bellwether whispered in awe. Slayer nodded slowly.

"Even those who didn't eat the berries are turning savage. Contact with the berries can even do it!"

xxx

Judy could not take her eyes off the screen. The agents had were now attacking each other. "Nick, what do we do?"

The fox looked at her incredulously. "What can we do, Carrots?"

"I don't know but... We have to do something!"

They saw their former comrades pick themselves up and suddenly examine each other with evident terror in their eyes. It had stopped.

xxx

Benny felt something like iron on his tongue and trailed a paw across his wet lips and chin. Red. The paw was blood red, stained, oozing with warm blood.

"Oh my..." Benny scanned the area. Bodies laid everywhere. He did this. He killed them all, mercilessly, mindlessly, like a savage beast.

He felt his legs begin to buckle as he wobbled. Bogo stood up tentatively and watched the cheetah.

"Benjamin... What happened?"

"Benny?" Gazelle called out weakly. Her side was hideously wounded, but it did not look too dangerous to Bogo. Both helped her up.

"Benny..." Gazelle stared at him with pity. "You're in a worse condition. Your sides... Your head..." She was right. There were three nasty wounds on both of the cheetah's sides and head.

They saw Bellwether and Slayer approach and stiffened. Slayer sniffed at the corpses scattered around them as Bellwether walked closer to the trio with her hooves behind her back.

"So unfortunate that we had to meet under such circumstances," Bellwether told Bogo mockingly. "Mr. Smith, is it?"

He could see in her eyes that she knew his real identity. Still, he tried to act as cool as possible, even when emotions overwhelmed him.

"You did this..." Gazelle whispered in shock. "You made us kill."

Bellwether just smiled cutely at her as if the gazelle complimented her. "Actually, my dear, the blueberries did all that dirty work. Fascinating idea, yes?"

"We should just kill them all now," Slayer growled, caressing his gray pistol. "Agent scum."

Bellwether shook her head, her eyes still trained on Gazelle. "They may prove to be useful, my pet."

"So you're going to make predator animals act like this?"

Slayer grinned predatorily at Benny, who shivered a little under his glare. "Of course, kitty. Now why don't we do a demonstration?"

Bellwether nodded and aimed her blue gun, which had been hidden behind her back, at Bogo. "Let's."

The blue bullet stained Benny's golden fur. As Benny convulsed and hissed in pain, Bogo had to grab Gazelle to prevent her from coming to his aid and risking getting shot as well.

"BENNY! NO!"

Bellwether sneered in disgust at Gazelle's concern. "You honestly care about him?! He whose brothers once devoured your kind? Traitorous! Insanity!"

Bogo suddenly threw a smoke bomb at Bellwether and, carrying Gazelle bridal style, ran for dear life.

"Wait! What about - "

They heard a single growl and then a single shot. They saw the pool of blood among the smoke and the familiar form in the center of it.

The tiger had shot and killed his brother, the cheetah.

 **Sorry I killed Benny, ladies and gents. But don't worry! He'll be remembered and recognized.**


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"To Benjamin Clawhauser." McHorn raised his glass of wine at the head of the meeting room table. "May his memory be cherished by all."

"What's that?" Judy pointed to the urn behind the rhino. McHorn and his wife turned to look at the urn for a second.

"An urn. The ashes of Kingzoo's founders, Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong. Snow leopards. Anyway..." He raised his glass once more. "To Clawhauser!" He swallowed the contents in a huge gulp.

Judy, Nick, and Wanda did their best to copy him in synch. The rhinos personally invited the former agents for a toast to their lost comrade and discuss any leftover positions. Still, neither Judy nor Nick was leaping for the offer. Benny was more than their comrade; he was also their friend, their funny, donut-loving, sweet cheetah.

"Agent Bogo is tending Gazelle's wounds," McHorn told the couple. "Did you know she was an orphan?"

Nick nodded. They grew well-acquainted with both the cheetah and gazelle after months of training and missions.

"Once the house of wolves is safe to access, we will recover his body."

"There's another thing." Wanda spoke up for the first time. "About your drinks..." She revealed a remote and pressed its shiny red button.

Judy and Nick suddenly began holding their throats and convulsing wildly. "A simple tasteless poison," McHorn explained proudly, eyeing the pair smugly. "So sorry for the rough and tough way to go, but you see, we have a party to go to."

"A sort of get-together," Wanda added. "For the 'exceptions' among the scum of the world. We feel so honored that Dawn invited us."

"And once we're done with you, we'll either convince Bogo and Gazelle to join Bellwether or kill them, too!"

"W-What?!" Judy almost hacked up a lung, and her face began to turn crimson. She and her husband had fallen out of their seats and were now squirming on the carpeted floor.

"You didn't think Bellwether excluded rhinos, did you?" McHorn stroked his wife's cheek lovingly and showed the other couple their IDs that Bellwether had made for cult members. "Now if you excuse us..."

"Well..." Nick abruptly stood up and brushed himself off. Judy stood up, too. "Well, actually, we hope you'll excuse us."

Both rhinos visibly paled. "B-Bu-But the poison... You should've been dead by now -"

"Ooh right!" Judy cringed mockingly. "See you shouldn't try to trick criminals."

"But your efforts were marvelous," Nick complimented with a sly grin. "Only, you turned away at a very bad time..."

"So we drank your drinks as you drank ours. I mean we are just a dumb bunny and sly fox..."

"But we make a pretty hot scheming duo," Nick bragged, pulling Judy close. "Don't you think?"

"Whatever you just did, your efforts were in vain." Wanda nodded and smirked cruelly at the fox and rabbit.

"That's right, you urchins! It's our word against yours!"

"Actually..." Judy whipped out her carrot pen and pressed its button. _"And once we're done with you, we'll either convince Bogo and Gazelle to join Bellwether or kill them, too!"_

"It's your word against yours."

Nick glanced at his watch. "And since your body masses are obviously bigger than ours, that particular poison should start working about..."

"You FREAKS!" McHorn yelled angrily as he lunged for them, but Nick just tripped him with his tail.

Judy smiled sweetly at the rhinos as they began to turn red. "It's called a hustle, sweethearts."

"...Now."

The rhinos gasped and struggled for several seconds until their bodies hit the floor unforgivably and they turned their icy glares on Judy and Nick.

"You sons of bitches!" Wanda rasped before coughing violently. "Bellwether will rise... You can't win... Not now, not ever..."

Nick just glared back at her as Judy shook her head in pity. "We'd rather fail and die, morally upright, then mindlessly follow Bellwether."

McHorn lifted his chin at Nick as proudly as he could. "I never liked you... you loud-mouthed fox..." Then, they fell dead, while Judy and Nick grimly stared at them.

"Yeah, well, the feeling was mutual after you told me to shoot my wife."

xxx

Nick and Judy's eyes popped as Gazelle leapt off of her bed and aimed her gun at them.

"Just our luck," Nick whispered to his wife. "We try to save the day and visit a friend whose healed and we get the gun." He then turned to Gazelle, who eyed them both suspiciously. "So is this the traditional greeting for... ex potential recruits?"

"Gazelle." Judy gulped pretty loudly. The gazelle still kept her eyes and the gun trained on them. "How's your side?"

"It's fine," Gazelle answered unemotionally. "What do you two want? We thought you'd only stay for Benny's toast." Her honey brown eyes softened a measure as she uttered the name.

Both fox and rabbit stared at her with sympathy. They knew that look. She loved Benny. She must have truly realized that once she lost him.

"Gazelle?" Judy cautiously stepped closer to Gazelle and patted one of her legs. "We're sorry about what happened, but that's why we're here. We want to help. No, we have to because we have new information."

"What information?" Bogo quietly entered Gazelle's new room. He had come in to check on the gazelle. He could not help but notice how none of the agents jumped or seemed at all surprised by his approach.

 _They have learned so much._

Bogo noticed Gazelle's gun. "Agent Gazelle, lower your weapon. Mr. and Mrs. McHorn are dead, and I presume these two troublemakers have a reason for this...?"

Judy and Nick showed Bogo the rhinos' IDs, played back the carrot pen's recording, and filled in the details.

"...So basically we're all screwed unless we can make these IDs useful," Nick concluded.

"The party is tonight, they said? Hmm... " Bogo paused to think. "I have uncovered some more of Bellwether's plan. The party will be in a huge cave, but only the invited can go inside."

"And with the IDs we can do that," Gazelle guessed. "Right? I mean, since there are no photos, it'll be simple."

"Yep," Nick agreed. "Once someone's in, we can hack Bellwether's system and effectively stop her from eliminating pretty much anyone and everyone. The blueberries have turned so popular..."

"Yes, but these someones, since we have two IDs, Wilde, need to be favorable. Harmless animals. Animals that Bellwether coddles and favors... a prey animal or two... who are married..." Bogo's head turned towards Judy and Nick. "Maybe... rabbits?"

Nick groaned and hung his head as Judy and Gazelle giggled. They were in for quite the makeover.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Their mission was strictly classified, so Bogo volunteered to be the pilot of the aircraft. Gazelle managed to locate the cavern, and Judy and Nick got ready in the plane's cabin.

"Looking good, Wilde." Nick just made a face at both Bogo and Gazelle as he marched out of his lavatory. He wore a fitting grey bunny costume, a black tux, matching shoes, and blue eye contacts. Unfortunately, his tail was pinned to his butt to make room for the bushy faux tail.

"Drink it in, you jokers. This tail is so itchy - " He heard Judy exit her lavatory and looked up. His jaw dropped comically at the sight of her. His little dumb bunny was dressed in a sleeveless black dress and matching heels. A carrot necklace rested on her neck, and cute emerald studs were on the tips of her large ears. She also wore dark green contacts and had painted the tips of her ears a darker gray. And for a final touch, she wore a cute shade of bright red lipstick.

"Damn..." Nick caught himself checking her out and blushed a little. This was so not right. His cute wife was actually hot!

"What's wrong, Mr. McHorn?" She seductively sauntered up to the fox and trailed her paws up his spine. "You look handsome. But you don't like the dress?"

He playfully smacked her paws away and poorly hid his blush. "C'mon, Mrs. McHorn. Let's stay focused." But when she walked by him, he found himself smacking her butt.

"Alright Mr. and Mrs. McHorn," Bogo addressed Judy and Nick. "Once we have you inside, wait for my instructions and remember to blend in. Gazelle will be here to hack the system. Get a computer ASAP and help her get in."

"What about you?" Judy asked.

"I'll be your pilot and guard the plane," Bogo answered defensively, heading for the cockpit. "And grab some weapons, you two. You don't know what's gonna happen in there."

xxx

 _"This is Copper Bull, pilot of the McHorn's, requesting permission to land."_

 _"Permission granted."_

The plane landed smoothly. A side door opened, revealing the disguised couple. Behind them, Bogo stood ready and alert, while Gazelle kept herself busy on her laptop in the cabin. Two wolves, one gray and one white, both in black suits, stood to greet them with gracious grins.

"Welcome to Ms. Bellwether's Haven," the gray wolf greeted. "May I see your IDs, please?" Nick and Judy gave him their IDs. He examined them closely, before he narrowed his eyes bemusedly.

"How funny..." He thoroughly sniffed the cards and gave them back. "McHorn...You two aren't rhinos..."

Nick bit his lip, panicking inside. But then, Judy wailed dramatically and clutched his arm tightly.

"So we can't be official McHorn's because of s-s-such a st-ste-stereotype?! I'M ADOPTED!"

"How dare you?" Nick scolded. " Aw, would you look at this face? It's a pitiful sight." Nick held her chin, and Judy tried to make her eyes as huge as a rabbit could.

The other wolf punched his friend's shoulder. "Ned, you moron! You offended these guests!"

Ned stammered out apologies, but Nick curtly cut him off. They really needed to get inside.

"No worries." He patted Judy's back and held her close. "C'mon, baby! They mean no harm." He gave her an Eskimo kiss, which made her giggle genuinely.

"You're right."

"Will you be staying overnight, Mr. and Mrs. McHorn?" They nodded, and Nick turned to look at Bogo. "Hey, Bull! We just recruited you from pilot to valet. Get a move on, will you?"

"Don't push it, Wilde." Bogo uttered as he grabbed their two luggages.

Ned and his friend looked impressed. "Gosh, you're ordering around a cape buffalo?" The white wolf exclaimed. "Wow!" He grabbed Judy's shoulders and licked her cheeks. The rabbit cringed as the fox smirked to himself.

Fortunately for Judy, Ned yanked him away before he could do more damage. Still, that did not stop his friend from howling loudly and proudly.

"Gary, don't! You're gonna start a howl!"

"I can't help it, man!" He waved and grinned stupidly at them as they headed for the party. "Gosh, our mistress, er, Ms. Bellwether will love you two! Have fun!"

"You're pathetic, Gary."

"Your mom's pathetic, Ned."

"Your howl is pathetic."

"Your face isn't pathetic though." Ned looked at him. "It's tragic."

xxx

 _"Okay, you two. Find a computer fast and help Gazelle get in. Try to blend in."_

"Welcome... to the... Haven. What can... I get... you..."

"We'd like - "

"To drink..." Nick paused, staring questionably at the sloth.

"We'd like - "

"Tonight?" Nick paused again before responding.

"We'd like a bloody cricket and..." He looked down at Judy.

"A carrot cocktail." Judy looked down at the sloth's name tag. "Flash."

"Flash, Flash, hundred yard dash!" Nick patted the sloth's shoulder. "I like the sound of that. Thanks, man."

Flash slowly blinked and walked away. "Sure...thing... Enjoy..."

Judy smiled. "We will. Thank - "

"The party..."

She felt one of her eye's twitch. "Thank you -"

"Tonight."

"Thank you, Flash." They could not have escaped quickly enough. They spotted some animals in booths on computers upstairs.

"Okay, Carrots." They grabbed two seats. "I'll go snatch up a laptop. You provide some form of distraction. Kay?"

"Pardon?"

"Great. Love you so much!" He patted her cheek and nuzzled her affectionately before ruining up the closest staircase.

Judy groaned and slouched in her seat. She had to make sure Bellwether did not see her because the sheep would probably recognize her. But what to do, what to do...

xxx

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Nick found a computer in front of a seemingly kind female sloth. "Could you tell me what time it is?"

"Of... course..." The sloth smiled warmly and, of course, slowly. Then, she lowered her head closer to her wrist watch. Nick felt one of his eyes twitch.

"It's..." He aimed an amnesia dart at her neck, and she slowly but surely fell down in her seat. Nick carefully scooted beside her.

"Okay, chief. I'm in."

xxx

Judy surveyed the area as she sipped her cocktail drink. Slow jams played, and only lovesick couples danced on the dance floor, including two very lovable pigs. (Their make out session was steadily making Judy more and more uncomfortable.) Everyone else was either sitting down or eating hor d'oeuvres.

She found herself standing in front of a Bengal tiger, the tiger, the tiger who killed Benny...

He eyed her like she was an appetizer, but he said nothing.

 _I must be out of my mind._ She opened her mouth. "You know what would liven this party up?"

"You on the menu?" Judy shivered. She did not know whether he meant to flirt with her or express his desire to eat her. Probably the latter.

"Actually, I was thinking something more like... dancing?" She hopped to the disk jockey. "Let's liven this place up!" The DJ, a ram, grinned at her and put on a different track.

Judy hopped to the middle of the dance floor, letting her body move in synch with the music. She fully embraced the song as it came up to the chorus. Soon, everyone was watching, even Bellwether.

xxx

Bellwether grinned fondly at the bunny on the dance floor and lightly hit Slayer. "See? Told you we should've hired dancers!" The tiger just grunted in response.

xxx

 _"Wilde?"_

"Hot damn." Nick whistled lowly as he watched Judy dance. "It's like high school again."

 _"WILDE!"_

Nick blinked rapidly and turned back to the computer. "Huh? Oh yeah. I'm in, aren't I?"

 _"Yeah, but don't stay there! You don't know who'll show up."_

"Chief, relax. No one will recognize us. Besides, it's not like -"

Nick felt a gun touch his temple. "Hello, Nick."


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

 **Author's Note: I'm back! I had to change chapter 12 because there was an essential part of the story I neglected. So, I apologize to all my readers.** **Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!**

"Leo." The smirking lion grabbed Nick's throat, held him up, and pressed a knife against his neck. "So you're involved in this, too?"

"Couldn't say no to daddy, could I?" Nick growled at Leo's triumphant look.

"You know what this is, don't you? It's mass murder! You have to listen to me - Ah!" Leo pressed the knife closer to the fox's slender neck, drawing droplets of blood.

"We chosen ones will repopulate," the lion growled, sounding brainwashed to the speechless fox. "And we chosen ones will rise from the ashes of the fallen. Too bad you and your tiny little wife won't live to see us thrive on their loss." He tightened his grip on Nick and turned to the stage, where Bellwether and Slayer were watching Judy dance.

xxx

Judy scanned her surroundings as she danced and the crowd cheered wildly. There was a highly raised podium with a weird control panel center stage. The podium sat beside the rows upon rows of laptops. The dance floor made up for most of the party area, aside from the banquet table and other tables and chairs.

Luckily, she found she was looking for: an exit. The door was opened, and it likely led to the darker, hidden portions of the cavern and Bellwether's plan. It was all too simple. Bogo told her Gazelle was currently hacking the system. If only Nick would stop her distracting and they could escape together...

 _Where is he?_ Judy danced slower so she could find her sly fox, but there was no clear sign of him. Suddenly, she tripped on an outstretched, furry foot. Unfortunately, she was not far enough from the banquet to avoid it. To regain her balance, she grabbed the white tablecloth, but that only served to knock over the humongous bowl of guacamole dip and get the green dip all over her. The ceramic bowl landed on her head, as she fell on her butt, drenched in guacamole.

Her cheerleaders became her bullies as they sniggered and laughed at her. Unbeknownst by the party animals, their leader was turning crimson as she saw the little bunny dizzily struggle to lift the bowl off her head and hang her head in shame.

"STOP!" The tiny sheep yelled monstrously, scaring even Slayer, who had tripped Judy. "ALL OF YOU!" Her burning stare found Slayer, who was shivering so much one would have thought he just took an unwanted bath. "And YOU! Targeting a poor little prey animal! Did you forget why we're here, Slayer?! HUH?! To save animals like her! Preys will rise above predators!" She rushed to Judy, glaring at the others.

xxx

"So this is your heroic plan," Nick noted sarcastically. "Keep me hidden until the party's over?"

"Whatever Kingzoo is planning, it won't work. You've only got thirty minutes until the savage slaughter begins."

"What?!"

Leo rolled his eyes and stood from his hiding place under a computer, dragging the reluctant fox with him.

"Ms. Bellwether -"

"Did you forget why we're here, Slayer?! HUH?!"

Nick gasped at the fallen figure. "Judy!"

xxx

"We prey animals have been defenseless and targeted because of PREDATOR ANIMALS LIKE SOME OF YOU!" Bellwether cackled manically. "Well that's all gonna change tonight. Just you wait! The fact that seventy-five percent of us are prey is no coincidence, ladies and gents. And if you have a problem with that, ANY OF YOU, you signed up. Not me."

A lone jaguar put down his drink and marched up to the diminutive sheep. "Now hold on, you hag! I didn't sign up for this hierarchy shit -"

 _BANG!_

The jaguar laid dead in his own pool of blood. Bellwether lowered her gun. "Any more questions or... unnecessary protestations?" She asked threateningly. Everyone else shook his or her head. "Good."

Her expression turned from malevolent to motherly as she turned to Judy. "Are you -"

"Ms. Bellwether!" The sheep turned to the computer area, where Leo held Nick by his neck like a trophy. "We got ourselves a spy!"

"The fox?" Bellwether's countenance darkened again as she recognized him. "Kill that meddling fool then, Lionheart!"

"With pleasure." Leo raised his knife, but Nick kicked him hard in the stomach and grabbed the knife. Leo groaned and released Nick, allowing Nick to escape.

"GET HIM! GET HIM!" Bellwether hopped up and down. "Slayer, get the guards! Sound the alarm!" Slayer nodded and ran to the alarm. Soon, the alarm blared, and many rams in uniform assembled and headed straight for Nick.

Judy watched the chase worriedly. She had to help Nick, but Bellwether was still beside her. She could not run. If she drew attention to herself it would only worsen things... She assumed...

Before Judy could think strategically, Bellwether's arm was around her shoulders, and the sheep was kindly helping her stand.

"Are you hurt?" Judy shook her head. She could not speak because Bellwether might recognize her voice. "Damn brutes..." She smiled sweetly at Judy as if she did not just scream insanely earlier, as if she was not a mad sheep, an insane cult leader. "Us little guys gotta stick together, right? Say, have I seen you before? What's your name?" Judy shook her head and looked away. "Oh, come on, honey bunny! I don't bite!"

 _This is downright creepy. Why is she being nice?..._ _I wish I could help Nick!_

"I'm only trying to help," Bellwether whispered sadly as Judy crept away from her. Judy could hear Nick being strangled. Bellwether was coming closer. "Please just let me help -"

"NO!" Judy was screaming before she could register what she was saying. "Just stay away from me! NOW!"

"Wait a minute..." Bellwether stared at Judy as if she had seen a ghost. "You're the rabbit spy..."

Nick stopped struggling. The guards stopped fighting and strangling. All eyes were on them. Judy gulped and forced herself to look the hurt sheep in the eye. She had tried to be courteous. For a moment, she probably trusted Judy as her fellow member, maybe even as her friend. "Dawn, listen -"

"You vulpine bitch," Bellwether hissed coldly. "You and your fox disgust me. Despicable! You two deserve each other. You two deserve to die..."

Judy shivered and backed away as Bellwether advanced. "You made me care about your bushy tailed ass... I hope everyone you care about dies a slow, gruesome death, Judith Hopps Wilde."

Bellwether gave a savage cry and reached to wring Judy's neck, but the rabbit was fast and kicked the sheep in the face. Then, she headed for Nick, grabbed his paw, hopped upstairs, and reached the opened exit.

Bellwether turned red again as she watched them leave. "AFTER THEM! DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!"

Slayer knelt down and patted Bellwether's shoulders with his huge paws. "Do you want me to go after them?"

The sheep chuckled lowly. "No, my pet." Her eyes gleamed maliciously, still trained on the exit. "They won't last long. Not with their guns. No animal can resist their primal, savage instincts..."

xxx

Judy and Nick rounded a corner and hid in the crevices of a doorway in a long maze full of corridors full of steel doors. They heard footsteps as they panted.

"Nick, honey, someone's coming. What do we do?!"

"No idea!"

"Oh shrubs!" She tried to contact Bogo. "Bogo? Bogo! Are you there?"

 _"I hear you loud and clear, Wilde. You two should know Bellwether sent you company. You're surrounded on all sides."_

"We can handle them. Just tell us how - Carrots!" Guards began shooting at them. Nick held Judy close and opened his special, bulletproof umbrella that he managed to grab from the aircraft.

"Carrots? Your turn." Judy nodded and fired at the guards with her pawgun. They fired at them, but Judy managed to take down more than half of the group.

However, they were soon surrounded by more guards on their other side. Nick put away the umbrella and fired with his own pawgun. But, they were greatly outnumbered and forced to flee farther down the maze of corridors and lean against another door.

"There's too many of them!" Judy panicked. Chief?"

 _"Gazelle and I have company ourselves, kids! We can't help you!"_

"Then do this at least," Nick requested. "Tell my mom to lock Tommy in the bathroom and throw away the key. Okay?" There was a long pause. Then, Bogo spoke.

 _"I told Gazelle to do it... even though you sound freaking crazy."_

"Thank you, Chief. And be careful." Nick turned to Judy. "Carrots, what is it?"

Judy rubbed her chin pensively, lost in thought. "How was she immune, Nick?"

"Who?"

"Gazelle. There must be a remedy. But there wasn't -" Her eyes goggled as she recalled the least significant detail.

 _"It's my legs, isn't it?" She looked down at them and sighed. "Oh, they're so ashy!"_

 _Grateful for the distraction, Judy tossed her a bottle she had stored in her fanny pack. "You can borrow my carrot scented lotion, if you like." Gazelle smiled and thanked her._

"Carrots?" She did not move. She said no words. Nick began to panic. "Carrots!" He heard guards yelling and approaching. "Honey, talk to me -"

"NICK!" Judy cried happily and hugged Nick with all her might.

"Carrots?" Nick choked out. "Can't breathe..."

"Oh, Nick! I love you, you idiot! It's carrots! Carrot lotion! She wore it at the wolf pack's place! That saved Gazelle and -"

"Whoa! Slow down!" Judy released him, and Nick gently cupped her face. "Carrots, we can't gamble on that!"

"Look around you! We have no other option!"

"It's the freaks!" A guard yelled out to the others. "They're down this hall!"

"Nick, you have to trust me." The fox turned quiet this time. Judy shook his arm to get his attention. "Nick -"

"I trust you." He faced her and pulled out a bag of ordinary blueberries. "If you can trust me."

Judy cocked her head. "Where'd you get those, slick Nick?"

"I have my ways. Just follow my lead."


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Gazelle could not believe it. As soon as she had full access to Bellwether's system, the plans were laid out in her lap. According to her findings, there was a control panel inside the party room of the cavern. (She managed to pull out a map.) That control panel was the source of the chaos.

 _But it can't be that simple... What about that blue gun of hers? Bogo wasn't savage after the attacks, and Benny turned savage individually. So..._

She winced as a body collided with the aircraft. That was going to leave a mark. Bogo was seriously outnumbered. Gazelle wanted to help, but her side was still healing and Bogo told her to stay inside and glean information.

She had gleaned information all right. Still, she knew she was missing something huge. Then, it hit her.

Gazelle had to address something else first.

xxx

"Who is this?" Charlotte demanded angrily. "And how do you know my son and daughter-in-law? And my grandson?"

"Take that, old timer!" A guard yelled at Bogo outside the aircraft. Gazelle sighed deeply.

"My name is Gazelle. I am a Kingzoo agent, like your son and daughter-in-law, and I'm calling on their behalf -"

"My babies! Are they hurt? What's going on?"

"They're fine, Ms. Wilde." _I hope._ "I need you to promise that you'll stay calm and listen to my instructions. You have to trust me when I say that Nick and Judy told me to tell you this. If you don't listen to me, your grandson could get hurt." _Or killed._

She heard the vixen hold back a whimper before responding. "Fine. Fine. What do I have to do?"

Gazelle examined her input for a second before instructing Charlotte. "Ma'am, have you recently consumed Dawn's Blues blueberries?"

Charlotte oddly felt compelled to ask something strange. "How recently?"

"According to what I've found, and this will remain classified between you and me, got it?"

"Got it." Charlotte knew how these agents operated.

Gazelle pulled up a list of animals and their reaction times to the fruit. "According to what I've found, the average fox can react savagely when he or she has eaten at least one blueberry in the past thirty-six hours."

"Sa-Savagely?"

"Yes, Mrs. Wilde. Therefore, I am begging you to lock your grandson in the bathroom and throw away the key. Has he eaten some blueberries?"

"Well, yes, but -"

"Then make sure he wears protective gear." Gazelle opened up another page and gaped. "And Mrs. Wilde? Please hurry. You only have ten minutes."

xxx

The rams eyed each other questionably as they heard growling and scraping coming from a doorway. The leader pointed to the doorway and nodded, silently ordering them to approach and attack. Some rookies looked nervous, but they all quietly began to creep closer to the doorway. The leader raised his blue gun, ready to strike.

"AHHHHHH!" Judy latched on to the leading ram, making him drop his gun. "Help me! Help me!" Blue liquid and black blood oozed from her nape. "Please, help! My husband bit me! I- I thought they were normal berries, but he's gone mad!"

"THE BLUES!" The ram tried to pry her off of him, but he could not shake her off. "They're going savage! Run for your lives!"

Nick, his lips dripping with blueberry juice, leapt gracefully from his spot in the doorway and growled threateningly at the shivering rams. Some cowardly rookies already fled the scene, but most of the rams froze with apprehension and fear. They had never dealt with savage animals before. When Belllwether hired them, they did not believe they had to deal and interact with savagery, only initiate it.

"Bernie!" One ram yelped as the fox began to pounce and drool on him. "Let's call Bellwether's handlers! They work with these crazies!"

"We don't have time!" The leader, Bernie, yelled back. "Let's just shoot 'em! They don't - ARGH!" Judy snarled and bit the ram's neck, drawing blood.

The others agreed and began shooting at Nick, but Nick effectively dodged some and seemed unaffected by others.

"Shit! Is savagery like a superpower now or some crazy shit?!"

Bernie shook Judy off of him and whistled at the others. "Let's just go! Tell her guns won't work on 'em!"

"But, Bernie, she'll kill us!"

Bernie looked worriedly at his team. They all were worried, but they did not have another choice. "She'll just have to take our word for - OW!" Judy bit him again. He shot at her, but she was just as agile and unaffected as Nick.

Bernie trembled as Nick and Judy began to approach them. "Scram, you idiots!" They all fled. No ram looked back. If one did, he or she might have seen Judy and Nick watch them and then run back to their spots at the doorway.

Once there, Judy wiped the juice and fake blood off of her neck, and Nick licked his lips clean and took out some more blueberries.

"Want some?" Judy grinned and helped herself.

"Sly fox."

"What? Bogo said to wear bullet-proof vests, didn't he? And he also let us take whatever. The fruit was my idea, true, but hey." He playfully shoved his wife and popped a blueberry into his mouth. "We're in this together, with all our crazy ideas, and your carrot-scented lotion."

"Even though I'm a dumb bunny?"

"You're not a dumb bunny. You're my dumb bunny."

"Oh, Nick." She smiled sweetly at him. "I'll fix this. We'll fix this. The lotion... I know it will work!"

Suddenly, the steel door they pressed their bodies against began to tremble. Someone on the other side banged on the door and began yelling obscenities.

"I know you're out there, Bellwether! You better let me out! I've had enough of your blueberry pie and mashed potatoes!"

"Who's that?" Judy mouthed to Nick, who just shrugged. Nick opened the door's slot, revealing the two pretty grey eyes of a deer dressed in a plain, unflattering white dress.

"Oh, thank goodness!" The deer sighed, smiling. "Animals from the outside! Can you help me?"

Judy's jaw dropped as she got a good look at the deer. "Trixie Single? The singer? Is that you?"

Trixie sighed again, quite dramatically, and flipped her platinum blonde hair. "Yes, sweetie. It's me, imprisoned here in prison garbs because of that evil sheep and her pet brute!"

Nick leaned closer to the slot and grinned charmingly at the doe. "Well, don't worry, sweetheart! Because we're here to save the world."

"That's right." Judy glared at Nick and put a protective arm around his waist. "Nice to meet you. We're Mr. and Mrs. Wilde. And we're kind in the middle of something so -"

"You know..." Nick kept grinning at the singer. "Judy and I've never kissed a celebrity before."

Trixie grinned mischievously and giggled. "If you two are saving the world, I'll give you much more than that."

"Wow." Nick nudged Judy playfully, who turned bright red. "Isn't she a motivator?"

"We're leaving." Judy smiled sweetly at Trixie. "Nice meeting you. We'll help you soon." She jumped, grabbed Nick's ear, and dragged him away.

"Carrots - Ow! - Relax! - Ow! - It's not like - Ow! - She would do it!"

The rabbit just glanced at him incredulously, and he paused in shock. He was genuinely fooled. "Oh, really? She would?"

"She's the most promiscuous celebrity, Nick! And you call me naive..."

"Oh, honey! I'm so sorry I'm not as unhealthily obsessed with singers as you are!"

"That's okay. When we get home, you can take notes."

xxx

"The cowards fled," Slayer announced. Bellwether glanced at her watch.

"The agents?"

"Our security." Bellwether snarled and banged her hooves against the panel.

"Well... No matter. In a few minutes, the apocalypse will begin."

xxx

 _"Judy! Nick! You have to hurry! Bellwether's control panel will soon initiate the primal instincts of any animal that currently ate the particular blueberries."_

"How many animals are we looking at here?" Nick asked Gazelle.

 _"Billions. Make sure her hooves stay off that panel! You two haven't eaten any, have you?"_

"No." Judy suddenly stopped running. "Wait... Gazelle, what about Benny? A gunshot turned him savage -"

" _Judy, that's it! I knew_ it was too good to be true!" The duo heard Gazelle type furiously. _"I'll get more info on her blue gun. You two just stop her before she wreaks havoc."_

"We're on it." They ran for and slid into the party room, only to find no party guests.

Nick raised his gun and glanced at Judy, who looked around the room bemusedly. "Where'd everyone go? What happened here?" The steamers were torn down. The bar was littered with broken glass and spilled drinks. Music blared hauntingly.

"I can answer that for you, fox." They looked up. Bellwether stood on the dais with her hooves on the panel. "But first, kitty wants to play with you."

Nick cocked his head."Kitty?" He leaned closer to Judy to whisper. "Crap, we forgot about her cat..."

Judy gripped her gun. "Ho, ho! I wouldn't do that, my dear!" She pressed a button on the panel, and a trap door opened underneath their feet. They scrambled off of it as smoke engulfed them. Then, they heard a familiar, sonorous voice.

"Rabbit and fox." Slayer revealed himself, towering over them. "So many fond memories I've had of your kind." He unsheathed his bloody claws. "But all good things must end. Only the strongest will survive."

"Not quite." Bellwether took out her blue gun. "The wittiest, actually." Before Slayer could pounce on them, Bellwether shot him in the shoulder, juice spilling all over the shoulder and his upper back. He grimaced and howled in pain. Judy and Nick scrambled away and watched his body hit the floor. He convulsed and twitched madly. They could see his eyes dilating and his mouth foaming.

"After you two left," Bellwether began, "Slayer and I decided to put our beloved family to the test. After all, we had to prove the worth of our members. And..." She chuckled a little. "One test before the grand finale wouldn't hurt."

"Lady, you're sick!" Nick yelped as Slayer began to approach them on all fours. Froth still coated his lips and chin. Judy and Nick would have laughed if they were not so terrified for their lives.

"And..." Slayer twitched. He was holding on to his last bits of sanity. "You will be... fox..."

"Slayer? Kill them like you did the others."

"As... you... wish..." He pounced, heading straight for Judy.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Okay." Judy and Nick took cover behind a table turned over to its side. The savage feline prowled the area for them. "I've got the sheepish and you've got the stripes. Right?

"NICK!"

"Great! Love you! Good luck!" He quickly pecked her cheek and ran upstairs. Nick hated placing Judy against Slayer without a warning, but he knew she was more agile than he was. She would need to be quick when fighting Slayer. Also, he wanted to attack Bellwether with the element of surprise. Between Judy and him, spontaneity was his specialty. He would need that to face the crazy cult leader.

Slayer spotted where Nick left from and slowly approached the table. Judy could hear him sniffling and cursed.

"Tommy," she said to herself after a few deep breaths. "Mommy loves you. And she will even in death... after a bloody, awful, painful death..." Gulping, she loaded her gun. Then, with a braver face and a triumphant cry, she hopped over the table.

"Take that!" Desperately, she shot Slayer, but the bullet missed his head and nicked his neck instead.

Bellwether chuckled mockingly above them. "Wow." She smirked as Slayer chased Judy. "Here I thought a rabbit's foot brought good luck. That's what I call a bad shot!"

"Then you'll call this one great." Nick, dangling from a lone streamer, shot Bellwether's arm and landed beside her on all fours. "And just so you know, I don't want to kill you. Not unless I have to. Stall would be the right word to use for now."

"Think this will stop me? Think again." Nick warily stood up. Clutching her bleeding arm, Bellwether kicked Nick in the shin and placed her front hooves on the panel.

"Bellwether requests initiation."

"What?!"

 _"Password required,"_ the panel droned in return.

The diminutive sheep turned to Nick as he stood up again. "Survival."

Nick jumped and caught Bellwether by her back hooves, causing her to trip, smack her head on the panel, and fall down.

"Nick!" Meanwhile, Slayer knocked Judy's gun away. Still, she had managed to drape a white tablecloth on Slayer's face and get on his back. He attempted to shake her off, but she gripped the fur on his nape tightly and clung to him.

"Get her hooves off that panel!"

"What do you think I've been doing, tiger rider?"

"He better not," Bellwether warned Judy. The fox dodged the blue pellets that Bellwether was shooting at him. "Or you'll be your hubby's lunch, if my pet doesn't get you first, rabbit!"

Nick ducked and fled from the swarm of pellets. But, he had to stay dangerously close to Bellwether because she could always reach the panel and therefore start the savage apocalypse. In addition, her threats did affect him. He would rather die than hurt Judy.

"Gosh! Quite the dilemma, eh, foxy?" She stepped closer to the controls, mocking him with every step. "Risk being shot and killing your bunny for billions of ignorant strangers or ignore all those innocent animals for the rabbit you love most?" She glanced at Judy, who was still on Slayer, and her eyes twinkled with mirth. "You know, she may have brutally stepped on my feelings once or twice for your useless mission, but she would have made quite the member of my chosen. Don't you think?"

She sighed dramatically and pressed her hooves against the panel again. "Oh well! She has to die, and you obviously won't do. You're too insubordinate for a predator. You know, I'm so glad I tested my original followers. They died nobly, I'll say. It made things interesting, and now I'll see who really deserves to rise above the rest."

 _"Initiation beginning in five..."_

"Nick!" Judy wailed fearfully. "Do something!" Slayer finally had his paws on Judy. His claws dug into her sides as he grabbed her, and he flung her across the room. Nick gasped and winced as she collided with a wall and slumped to the floor.

 _"Four..."_ Nick held his breath. Slayer approached and hovered over Judy.

 _"Three..."_ She was not moving. Her eyes did not open.

 _"Two..."_ Bellwether grinned with sick satisfaction and licked her lips.

 _"One..."_ Nick knew what he had to do. He ran for Bellwether, no longer giving two cents about her blue gun.

xxx

Charlotte was chopping carrots for the soup she and little Tommy would have for supper that evening. Ever since she took Judy in, the Wilde's gradually grew fonder of the crunchy veggie.

Then, Charlotte felt it. First, it felt like a mere twitch. Then, she felt it all over, the itching, fiery craving for a **_bite_**...

 _A bite of what?_ She asked herself.

 _ **Anything**_ , her instincts moaned back at her. _**Anything you can find!**_

She suddenly heard someone tap on her front door. "Mrs. Wilde? It's me, Lily."

 _ **Lily, Lily the bird. Food. Food for young. Food for you.**_

Then, Charlotte blinked, and the strange feeling was gone.

 _What happened?_ Charlotte wondered. _Such disturbing thoughts... Maybe I should talk to a therapist again._

After thinking it over for a few more seconds, Charlotte shrugged and went to answer the door.

xxx

Judy opened her eyes. Her body, bloody and weary, was burning with pain, particularly her sides. Sweat and drool coated her forehead.

 _Wait. Drool? I'm not drooling._ Judy looked up. Slayer, with drool coating his entire chin, was centimeters away from biting off her face. Before he could, Judy kicked him in the face and flipped over him. The vicious beast turned around to chase her, and the deadly game of cat and mouse resumed. Meanwhile, Nick had managed to pin Bellwether down, away from her control panel.

"Haven't you realized yet that this is the better way?" Bellwether squirmed in Nick's grip and bit his arm, drawing blood and making him release her. Seeing her window of opportunity, she kicked him repeatedly in the stomach until he was on the ground. Nick had yanked the wool on her head as she kicked him mercilessly, but she won that round. As he coughed up some blood, she returned to her panel.

"This is fate," Bellwether hissed, talking more to herself than to Nick. "This is destiny. Prey animals were meant to be superior over predators. It's our duty, and it's what we deserve! Some will win, and they will rule over the remaining preds! A revolution has begun!"

xxx

Lillian, her neighbor, the bird, the twittering sparrow whose heartbeat quickened, stood outside of Charlotte's doorstep and greeted her. The vixen sniffed the air. She would save the young kit morsels, but this was her kill. Hers. No abandoned kit was getting in between her and her delicious meal.

Lillian cocked her head. "Charlotte, are you okay?... Oh my... Your eyes... You haven't been drinking again, have you? Do you need something for your head or..." She reached for some pills in her purse. Then, she twitched and looked up at the predator with dilated, fearful eyes.

 ** _Run. Predator. Fox. Run. RUN!_**

xxx

Judy was almost out of breath, but she kept running to stay alive. Slayer was right behind her, practically breathing down her neck.

She did not have time to scream. His teeth sunk into her neck.

"Judy..." Nick coughed up some more blood. Bellwether had hit him really, really hard. He could hardly raise his head. But when he did, he saw Judy in Slayer's jaws and raised his voice. "Judy... JUDY!"

"Don't worry, fox." Bellwether hummed cheerfully as she turned on the projector with her back hooves. It projected a gigantic map of the world, and celebratory music blared from the speakers on each side of the dais.

"You'll both be put out of your misery soon enough. For now, witness this masterpiece! Critters to beasts from New Zeelion to Timbugtoo will give in, and the fittest will rise with me!"

Judy was quickly losing consciousness. Slayer suddenly dropped her and looked ready to chew on her legs.

 _Over my dead body!_ With her last bits of strength, she gave him a hard kick in the ribs.

xxx

Tommy crawled over to the bathroom door. His grandmother had left him in the bathroom and locked the door. He always knew adults were strange, but this action took the cake. Charlotte even left her *z-phone in the bathroom with Tommy!

The young kit did not know how cellphones worked. He just knew that his grandmother was making strange, guttural noises and someone else was screaming and squawking. He only knew that he needed his parents. Maybe his grandmother and the other animal needed them, too. But they were away...

He crawled over to the cellphone, which was still on, and pressed the button that looked like a phone. Then, he pressed another button and waited. Nothing happened. Then, he pressed another. Nothing. He did this for several more minutes with the same result.

Getting fussy, Tommy whined and slapped the phone, hitting more buttons on the keyboard. His mother's face popped up on the screen.

 _"Dialing... Judy..."_

 **Author's note: *zoophone - It's like the I-phone. Sorry, but it was all I could think of. Also, Tommy unintentionally found his mother's number under Contacts or Recents on the phone app. I'll let you decide. Miracles do happen, faithful viewers! We're reaching the end! Please politely review this story, and thanks for showing your appreciation!**


	19. Epilogue

Epilogue

 **Thanks to all readers. I'm so glad I finally finished this! Please review, because manners maketh man!**

"Ugh..." Slayer had flung Judy against another wall, and she thought she heard bones crack. She lost her phone after that collision, and it skittered on the ground, laying in front of her drooping eyes.

 _"Mom..."_

Judy's eyes shot wide open. _That sounds like... No. No wait._

 _"Mommy..."_

 _Is this a trick? It can't be. They couldn't have taken so much time to..._

Slayer left her to die from blood loss, and she weakly pressed the speaker button on her phone. "Tommy? Baby?"

 _"Mommy..."_

"Tommy, sweetie, what's wrong?" He sounded worried, scared even. Then, Judy heard terrifying noises in the background. It sounded like an animal was attacking another, and the attacker sounded exactly like her mother-in-law...

Judy panted, feeling a panic attack coming. _It's happening._

She watched Slayer head straight for Nick, his claws glistening under the party lights. Judy's fur bristled.

 _Not if I can help it. Don't worry, Tommy. Mommy's gonna set things right._

She ripped a strip of her dress off and wrapped it around her bleeding sides. She would address that later. Then, she sprinted to Slayer.

xxx

"Everything you've done has been futile, fox!" Bellwether squawked arrogantly. "You're no hero! Just give up!"

Nick slowly but surely rose, with one frontal paw steadying himself and the other clutching his bruised stomach. "I'm not a quitter." He clicked his heels. "I may not even be an agent at this point. But I am a father, and that's the best damn kind of hero."

Bellwether just sneered. not even bothering to look his way. "You're cheesy, fox."

"And you're a murderous, cutthroat, psychotic bitch, sheep." He was about to attack her from behind when suddenly he spotted his wife throwing something spherical at the crazy tiger.

Slayer caught the vegetable and chuckled at her. "What's this?" He playfully examined and tossed the veggie around like it was a ball of fur. "An onion! How thoughtful of you, bunny rabbit! An appetizer before I devour you!"

When Judy finally caught up to Slayer, she stopped running and watched the tiger with bated breath. _How is he still talking? Perhaps he's an anomaly. Maybe that's why Bellwether chose him - THE ONION!_ _No! No! NO! I was reaching for my gun! Where is my -_ She caught something shimmering from the corner of her eye. Her gun. She abandoned her gun and now it was meters away from her. Figures.

Turning back to Slayer, she turned ghostly white when he raised the so-called onion to his lips. "No, wait! Don't -"

 _BOOM!_

Bellwether removed her hooves from the controller. Nick clutched his stomach to ensure he did not retch. Judy had to avert her eyes.

They saw nothing but red.

They all stood motionless for a long, long time. Then, Judy felt strangely compelled to address Bellwether. "Look, I didn't mean to..."

"You just threw a bomb at my pet." Bellwether wore an emotionless expression, but her olive green eyes told the rabbit everything: loss, regret, mourning, hate.

Judy, keeping her eyes trained on Bellwether, gradually inched closer and closer to where they were on top of the podium. Swallowing her guilt, Judy hardened her stare and aimed her gun at Bellwether.

"But don't worry." The sheep grabbed Nick by his collar and aimed her gun at him. "We'll be even soon, bunny."

Judy flinched but continued approaching. "Let him go! Now!"

"Sure, once you set down your toy."

Both female prey animals aimed their weapons, one at the fox and one at the other. They were at an impasse, with no one backing down, one driven by power and control and the other driven by love... and possibly insanity, and the knowledge that she had no earthly idea what she was doing. But then, Judy's eyes flickered to Nick, whose emerald green eyes said the one thing that always made her gut churn.

 _Trust me._

Judy knew Nick like the back of all four of her paws. Nick hardly ever begged, seriously begged. He bantered. He entertained and made a show out of playful requests. But one would have to go to extreme, dangerous limits to make Nick Wilde _beg,_ not only because he was stubborn, but because his past made it so hard for him to cling to anything or anyone. And the few persons in his life that could make Nick beg, he knew, were worth fighting for, were worth anything for, including his pride.

With his eyes, Nick was begging Judy to trust him, and she did.

She put down the gun.

"Perfect. Now I'll just set down mine and - Oops!" Bellwether pulled the trigger of her blue gun, and Nick fell to the floor, panting and shaking uncontrollably. During his fall, he managed to trip her, but she managed to get up in time to see Judy panic.

"NICK!" Judy rushed and hopped impressively to the dais. Then, she held Nick close to her, completely disregarding the sickly amused sheep beside them. "Please don't do this! Please!"

It seemed her cries fell to deaf ears as Nick slowly licked his lips and foamed at the mouth. Judy shivered and backed away from Nick, but she soon found herself cornered. Nick stalked her on all fours as Bellwether cackled nearby.

"Bye bye - OW!" Bellwether hitched up her skirt and found a nasty cut bleeding profusely on one of her stubbly legs. "What is this... It's turning green!" The dark red blood began to turn green. Her fur and skin began to turn a sickly green. The sheep was soon completely green.

"What's this? What did you do -" Bellwether suddenly felt very fatigued and sick. The world around her began to spin, but she still noticed that Nick was no longer acting savagely or attacking Judy. Instead, they both wore sly grins, and twin blades from Nick's shoes shined brightly.

"Well, ah, I poisoned you and, ah, bad shot, perhaps?"

"No, Nick. The carrot lotion."

"Of course. Silly me."

"N-No... This is not like... one of those spy movies... I will rise! My idea will rise! Survival of the fittest is the future!" She seemed to be trying to assure herself more than the agents.

Judy shook her head with pity as Bellwether crashed into the control panel. "No, Dawn. It's not. Oh and just so we're clear..." The rabbit took out her pocket knife and stabbed Dawn's poisoned leg.

"That's for Ben."

xxx

Charlotte felt like she had just woken out of a coma. She could recall nothing that had happened since she was fixing dinner for...

"Tommy..." She heard squeals from the bathroom. "Oh, Tommy! Are you okay? Oh, sweetheart!" Finding him inside the bathroom, she scooped him up and held her crying grandson close to her chest. "Sh, sh, It's okay. Everything's fine -"

"Charlotte!" Lillian came from where Charlotte was. Her lips are cheeks were badly bruised. "Are you okay?"

"Me? What about you?"

"What happened?" They both stared at each other in disbelief. Their clothes were tattered, the apartment was a mess, and poor Tommy looked scarred for life.

"I have no idea, but let's get you to a hospital ASAP."

xxx

Ten months later, things were definitely looking up. Nick and Judy's new jobs paid nicely, and they made sure that Dan never set paw on their property again. Tommy was on his way to wobbly walking, and Charlotte thankfully moved on and ended her on-and-off again relationship with Dan for good.

As for Bellwether, she and her followers went to prison right after the authorities received an anonymous tip. The preventive medicine and cure for the strange blueberries was discovered and developed thanks to the generic bland of carrot lotion, and thousands of animals with lingering traces of "the blues" received the preventive or remedial treatment.

Unfortunately, death is a cruel, indiscriminate force, and Benjamin Clawhauser was never revived. Right after the blueberry pandemonium, Ben's family cordially invited all Kingzoo agents to his funeral, where Gazelle gave her touching eulogy and where the selfless, fun-loving, sweet cheetah was finally laid to rest.

Gazelle kept in touch with the Wilde's, describing her pursuit for a singing career. (Trixie Single felt obliged to help someone somehow after her rescue.) Yax occasionally sent them invites to his nudist club, which Judy never gave Nick a chance to consider. Even Felicia began writing to them. She apologized in her first letter and then began telling the couple about her own twin sons Kevin and Raymond, who were named after their father and uncle, respectively.

After all their hard work, ten months later, Judy and Nick found themselves strolling, hand in hand, to their favorite bar. As they walked, they quickly relished a drastic change to their routine; no animal gave them an odd look or spewed reproaches under his or her breath.

"I guess saving the world has its perks," Nick whispered smoothly to his wife, who just shrugged and brushed the wrinkles out of her new blue dress. They were still not accustomed to owning such fine clothing, clothing that actually fit them and had no holes or tears.

"It does if it's broadcasted on live television." They meandered silently until Judy stopped and took Nick's paw.

"What is it, Carrots?"

"Nick." Judy nervously licked her lips and met Nick's concerned stare. "I... I want to see him again." Nick quickly knew whom she was referring to, and he stared at her so intently and seriously that Judy had to look away.

"Your dad?" Judy nodded quickly. "Where is he?"

"In a rehabilitation center. He's better, and I promise I won't bring Tommy -"

"But I'm going with you." Nick promised, taking and holding her paws in his. "Please?" Judy nodded wordlessly, and the pair continued walking. Neither of them wanted to mention exactly when they were going to settle differences and revisit memories. Nevertheless, they knew they both would never be at peace until they did. Besides, they just wanted to see how he was doing. They were never going to dwell in the past; instead, they were going to learn from it, hear from it, and move on.

Near-death experiences have tended to make anyone do things that were previously unthinkable. After all, life is very short, too short indeed, to not accept its challenges and continue learning.

xxx

"Hey, Mom!" Nick entered the bar with the biggest grin on his face. Judy, absorbed in her own thoughts, simply gave her mother-in-law a small smile and a friendly wave. Unfortunately, Charlotte was surrounded by Dan and his posse, and they snarled viciously as soon as they saw the couple.

 _No matter,_ Judy thought to herself. _Dan must want to be behind bars because he's in stripes as soon as we're done here._

"Get lost, twerps!" Duke cried fiercely.

"Mom," Nick continued, as if Duke had not said a word. "We have a surprise for you."

"Why aren't you two at work?" Charlotte asked them sternly.

Judy began grinning just as widely as her husband. Boy, she was in for a shock. "Bogo's chill sometimes. He knew this was big news... Drum roll!" Nick banged on the nearest table. "We bought a house!"

"What?!" Charlotte began to shake excitedly.

"With a pool and a gazebo," Nick added smugly.

"And it's near a daycare that Tommy can go to."

"And it's in one of the safest neighborhoods nearby. Fist pump!" They happily bumped fists, giggling at Charlotte, Dan, and everyone else's awestruck faces.

"W-Wh-What?!" Dan sputtered indignantly. "You kids can't afford nothing!"

"It's called a job," Judy told him smartly. "You know, what animals do for a little essential thing called money, to pay for food, clothes..."

Nick whipped out his new cellphone. "And devices," He said slowly. "Like this one, which I will now use to kick your ass in jail for not honoring the law."

"WHAT?! Y-You kids can't tell me, a grown fox, WHAT TO -"

"Nick, I think you need to talk slower so he can understand what you're saying." The slyness of her grin rivaled Nick's.

"I'm... going... to kick... you ass... in... j-a-i-l."He turned to Duke. "Oh, and Duke?" He nodded to Dan. "Why don't you take your pet for a walk?"

Dan stood from his seat, but Judy effortlessly shoved him back down and turned to Charlotte with a kind smile. "So, Mom, we want you to live with us. What do you say?"

Charlotte looked ready to bawl out of pure happiness as she stood from her seat, but Dan growled and ordered her to sit back down.

"You leave when I say you can leave!"

"Just go, Nicky!" Charlotte begged. "And you, too, Judy! Just go. I'll be okay. Really."

"You heard your mommy." Gideon grinned toothily. "Scram, you damn lying brats!"

"You think your fancy clothes can fool us?" Travis gestured to Nick's grey suit. "Think twice!"

After seeing Charlotte nod encouragingly, Judy and Nick looked at each other and calmly walked to the exit. But then, Dan had to open his big mouth.

"Who's walking their pet now, Nick?"

The duo stopped as soon as the words left his mouth, their backs turned from the group. Judy and Nick eyed each other again and winked.

"You forgot something," Judy told Dan, turning back around to face him. She thought she saw everyone but Dan and Charlotte wince.

Dan just stood up and laughed in her face. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

"Dan -" Gideon tried to warn his brother, but Nick beat him to it. He turned around, leaned forward, and whispered. "You didn't hold your tongue..." Nick had picked up a few tricks from Bogo. He grabbed and twisted Dan's tongue. Then, he threw him across the bar and into a table, knocking him out.

Judy ushered for Charlotte to leave the room, and she quickly did, trusting her children. It was about time that Dan and his posse learn their lesson, even if some of them had to learn it twice.

As Nick cracked his knuckles, Judy turned to Gideon, who was staring up at her with evident fear in his fern green eyes. "Do I, a _rabbit,_ scare you, a _fox,_ Gideon?"

"N-No."

Judy chuckled to herself. "Well you should be scared." She watched with amusement as they all stood from their table and tried to make themselves look tougher to the two agents. But after watching them for a few seconds, both Nick and Judy were disappointed.

"No insults? No punches?" Nick fixed his tie and cracked his neck. "I thought we were gonna have a fight."

Suddenly, Judy's phone buzzed, and she quickly scanned the recent text from Mrs. Otterton. "It's Mrs. Otterton," she informed Nick. "Son got out of school early. So she has to leave Tommy at three instead of four." Both craned their necks at the bar's clock. "So we've got... five minutes?"

Nick began to set his watch's timer. "Five minutes of kicking ass? Well, Carrots, it's been a while since we've had a decent workout."

"You must think I'm a rookie if you think I can't kick their butts in five minutes, Nick."

"Alright, Agent Wilde." He knelt to her level and offered her his paw. "Let's see what you've got."

Judy pecked his nose and shook his paw. "You're on, Wilde." And so, after a well-deserved, so-called workout, Nick and Judy lived peacefully with Charlotte and their son.

That is, until, they had to crash Mr. Big's daughter's wedding because a vengeful third cousin sent assassins after her. Business as usual.

The End


End file.
